The Perfect Summer Blossom
by Browny9
Summary: Link ends up stranded on Koholint Island, a place cut off from the rest of the world. There he meets Marin, an island girl who changes his entire outlook on life. *Read Author Page for More Info*
1. Chapter 1

The Perfect Summer Blossom

Chapter I – The Great Sea

* * *

There was a gentle breeze that morning.

Link stood on the deck of the ship, taking in the cool morning air. It had been some time since he was last able to enjoy something this simple. If there was a tranquility to match the breeze, it'd be a slice of heaven to the young Hylian.

Behind him, he could hear the coarse voice of the ship's captain barking out orders. Adding to the cacophony was the crew, as well as a hundred different thuds and clacks and splashes that would be found aboard a ship. For a moment, Link wondered how nice it would be to have a ship of his own. Nothing too large; small enough for one young man to sail the Great Sea on his own.

"A red one." Link whispered to himself, imagining what the ship would look like. In his mind's eye, he could see the vessel clear as day. The bright red paint of the hull would look well against a sail as white as fresh snow.

Link wiped his brow with the back of his hand. What he wouldn't give for a sudden chill. The summer months were brutal in Hyrule, and he was headed home in the middle of the season. It was an unexpected adventure of sorts that found the young man in a distant province of Hyrule, but all that was behind him now. Memories of time travel and changing seasons were all that remained.

That, and a few items. Growing tired of the repetitive waves on the ocean surface, Link rested his back against the ship's mast. In his hands were his trusted shield, a gift from his uncle back in Hyrule. The Goddesses had been kind enough to transport the shield with him to far-off lands. And alongside that shield his sword, which was strapped to his back. The worn blade had seen more action than any weapon ever should. And with it its wielder. More than anything, Link was looking forward to some well-deserved rest.

The last item in his possession was a gift. Not just any gift either; this was a prized possession of Hyrule's own Royal Family. Setting his shield aside, Link took the ocarina in hand and examined it briefly. The blue instrument only had one noticeable feature to distinguish it from other instruments, that being a crest on one side of the Triforce. The ocarina was an ancient artifact from a time long before Link; a time of legend where a hero rose from the forests of Hyrule to vanquish a king of evil.

Over the ages, the ocarina was lost to the Royal Family, and fell into the care of a young musician and resident of Kakariko Village. When the young lad was cursed during Link's first adventure, he entrusted the magical instrument to Link. After the completion of his quest, the Princess Zelda, ruler of Hyrule following her father's death, revealed the ocarina's true heritage. She was the one who offered it to Link as a parting gift, and as thanks for his valiant efforts in saving Hyrule from the clutches of the wizard Agahnim.

The magical energies of the ocarina had long since disappeared, but Link kept it close so that he could always play familiar tunes from his youth.

"Link!" A voice called out to him from afar. The young man garbed in green looked over in that direction, seeing the captain of the ship signaling for him. Wasting no time, he leapt to his feet and ran over to the captain's side.

"There's a storm coming." The captain informed him, pointing out to the horizon. Sure enough, there were so many dark clouds in that direction, it was as if night had fallen before its time.

"Looks big," Link commented.

"I don't think there's any avoiding this one. I'll slow our speed, try and wait it out."

The captain barked orders at the crew, informing them of both the storm and his plans. Meanwhile, Link looked ahead at the clouds.

Even if they waited for a whole day, he had a feeling the storm wouldn't clear up. If they wanted to return to Hyrule, they'd have to sail straight through it. And it wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

A flash of lightning illuminated the night for a moment, while a crack of thunder deafened the ears of whatever shipmates could still hear well. The captain's hope of waiting out the storm hadn't panned out, and now they were trapped in the middle. The waves crashed against the ship from all sides, while rain came down on the ship so thickly it was as if a second ocean were on top of them. The moon was no where to be seen, making it impossible to see anything until a bolt of lightning flashed through the sky.

Along with every other crew member, Link was trying desperately to keep the ship's sail from coming undone in the wind. However, the downpour made it hard for the men to hold onto the ropes, and one by one they were forced to let go as waves spilled over the deck and washed men away. Link stood his ground, helped along by the added weight of his sword and shield. As another wave crashes onto the ship, another few men lost their grip and the sail went free.

"Secure the sail!" The captain's voice echoed through the darkness. Another bolt of lightning gave Link a brief view of the deck, and he saw no one else nearby. The storm had claimed everyone in sight. It was up to him to secure the sail.

He pulled on the rope, using it to guide himself through the darkness to the mast. Once there, he began his ascent. This time, the added weight of his equipment was making it difficult to climb, but he dared not try and remove it now. The longer it took him to reach the sail and secure it, the more likely it was they'd lose the whole mast.

Two more lightning bolts resounded through the night. The gusts which were hardly felt on the deck were much stronger up on the mast. The storm seemed to be intensifying rather than calming. When another bolt illuminated the ocean below, Link caught a glimpse of an incoming wave larger than any that had struck the ship before. The young man braced himself for the impact, but it struck with such a force that he was flung from the mast. Holding onto a rope for dear life, Link dangled above the deck, thrashing about in the wind and rain.

That's when another bolt of lightning flashed through the sky. This one struck something: the mast of the ship. Link watched the spectacular sight as long as he could before the impact of the event sent him flying into the distance. The heavenly catastrophe shattered the vessel's mast into a million pieces, and set the rest of the ship on fire. As the rain doused the flames, a great billow of smoke rose into the sky, further obscuring the view in the night.

Link managed to grab hold of a piece of driftwood from the ship after he landed in the water. He watched in silence as the ship disappeared from view, and tried his best to remain awake as the waves pummeled his small body. Eventually, there was nothing he could do but let his eyes close as fatigue and seawater overpowered his senses. The storm slowly and finally vanished from his senses.

* * *

An unusually cool breeze swept in from the ocean. Marin took notice of it immediately. For there to be such a chill wind in the middle of summer was a bit of an omen for the young woman. Still, she paid it no more than a moment's thought when something on the beach caught her eye. Jutting out from the sand was a strange blue stone. She approached it, and tried to pry it from the sand. It proved difficult, and she was forced to use both her hands. With a couple tugs, it slowly revealed itself to be a lot larger than Marin initially thought.

"A shield?" Marin said softly, inspecting the object closely. There was a red design of some sort on the shield, resembling a bird. Above it was a yellow symbol, three golden triangles in perfect formation. It was a symbol the young Marin didn't recognize.

"What could it mean?" She asked, stroking the golden triangles. As she hoped to infer their meaning, she took a tumble when something else washed ashore and bumped into her.

It was a body! With a shriek she scurried away from it, watching as the tide pulled the body back into the water for a moment. When it returned the body to the shore, it had turned it over to reveal a young man garbed in green. Curious, Marin crawled back to the body. Somehow, he was still drawing breath.

"Father! Come quick! I've found something!" Marin called out to the other side of the beach. In the distance, a stout man came running.

Marin picked the young man's head up and rested it upon her lap. There was movement under his eyelids, as though he were having a nightmare. Marin stroked the young man's golden hair, hoping the contact would calm him. She looked over at the shield she had discovered first, finding it had been turned over in her panic. Etched into the wood on this side were letters familiar to Marin. They formed a name, most likely that of its owner.

"Shhh..." Marin cooed, stroking the young man's face. She leaned in close to his ear.

"It's okay. It's just a nightmare. I'm here, now. Please wake up, Link." She whispered into his ear.

Link's face calmed, and his breathing became normal. The nightmare seemed to be receding.


	2. Koholint Island

Chapter II – Koholint Island

* * *

There were a series of hallways before Link. Ahead he could see only an endless parade of passages, each one identical to the one before. To his right, the same. And to his left, the same. Even behind him only lay the same repetitive hallways. And to make matters worse, there were foul monsters everywhere. Creatures made of a pitch blackness, creatures that no matter how many times Link fell with his sword, kept reforming.

It was a nightmare, for lack of a better term.

So he ran. Down one hall, and turning to another. No matter how many turns he made, the next room was the same as the one before. The only thing that seemed to change was the layout of the nightmarish creatures that dwelled in each room. Fatigue caught up with the young adventurer soon enough, and he fell to his knees. If he tried to fight his way through, the monsters would overtake him eventually. There was no way out of this now.

That's when Link heard her voice. The soft, angelic voice of the Princess Zelda. The voice that set Link's entire adventure into motion so long ago. Looking up into the sky, he could see a beacon of light radiating throughout the dark corridors and rooms. He reached his hand out to the source of the light.

* * *

"Father, he's waking up!" Marin called out eagerly to her father nearby. The stout older man laughed as he joined Marin at Link's bedside. Link slowly opened his eyes, exposing his eyes to light for the first time since the night of the storm.

"What a relief! I thought you'd never wake up!" Marin cheerfully greeted the young man. His vision was a bit blurry, but he was certain he knew the girl's identity.

"What happened?" He asked groggily.

"We found you washed up ashore! We brought you to our home. You were tossing and turning the entire time. Were you having a nightmare?" Marin asked him, barely able to contain her glee.

"Thank you for helping me, Zelda." Link said, closing his eyes again until they adjusted to the light.

"Huh? Zelda? No, my name's Marin!" The girl pouted. Link forced his eyes open again, and focused on the form of the person at his bedside.

"Marin...?"

"You must still be a little woozy. It's okay, take your time!" Marin grabbed the cloth on the table by Link's bed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His vision finally returned to him, and he could see the girl tending to him at last. There was certainly a resemblance, but this wasn't Princess Zelda.

"Where am I?" Was his next question.

"Koholint Island! Mabe Village, if you want to be exact!" Marin smiled.

Try as Link might, he couldn't remember any island by that name on any map of the sea between Hyrule and Labrynna. How far had he drifted from the site of the shipwreck?

"The ship. Did you find anyone else?"

The immediate reactions on both Marin and Tarin's faces told him everything. It was the man, Tarin, who answered.

"We found no one else, son. Only you. Name's Tarin, by the way. Hope yer feelin' better, Link." He gave Link a pat on the shoulder.

"How do you know my name?"

"Think it's weird, eh?" The older man laughed.

"We saw it on the back of this!" Marin chipped in, carrying Link's shield to his bed. Sure enough, etched on the back was his name. He had been the one to do it some time ago.

"Was there anything else?" Link asked, taking his shield from Marin.

"Sure was. Unfortunately we had to double time it outta there soon as we found ya. Monsters all over the beach. I've seen monsters before, but never like this." Tarin furrowed his brow.

Link finally moved to get out of bed. Marin and Tarin both stepped back, allowing the young man to get up and stretch. He was feeling surprisingly spry, but attributed it to the amount of rest he probably got. He might've been adrift on the ocean for more than a day before he washed up on the island.

"How can I get to the shore where you found me?" Link asked them, adjusting his shield on his right arm. He wouldn't be able to fight back, but he'd be able to defend himself at the very least.

"Follow the road south, and you'll reach the Toronbo Shores. That's where we found you." Marin explained. She was about to say something else, but closed her mouth before she did. Link noticed, but said nothing of it.

"Thank you. I owe you both a lot."

"Don't worry about it, son. Watch out for the monsters, 'kay? They've never been this nasty before." Tarin cautioned.

"I can handle them." Link smiled confidently. It wasn't the first time he'd gone up against monsters in his adventures. And it wouldn't be the last, he was sure.

"Father, is it okay if I guide Link?" Marin asked just as Link turned to leave.

"I'm sure the lad can find his way."

"But the shores are pretty big. I could lead him right to where we found him!" Marin insisted.

"It's okay," Link chipped in. "I'm sure I can find the spot just fine."

Marin looked a bit flustered, eager to force the issue. She fell silent, but it was clear to Link she wanted to tag along. Even without his sword, he felt confident nothing would happen to the girl if they did run into monsters.

"I wouldn't mind, though." Link added. Marin's eyes instantly lit up.

"Well, if you say so, son. Marin knows her way 'round the island just as well as me." Tarin chuckled.

"I know it better in some parts, too!" Marin claimed.

"Then you'll be a big help." Link smiled. The girl felt a redness come to her cheeks, and spun around to collect something from a corner of the small house.

"I'll be just a minute!"

And a minute later, true to her word, Marin was ready to depart. With her she took a brown satchel and only one other item within. Link caught a glimpse of it as she tucked it away, a harp. What the instrument was for he couldn't guess. That's when Link remembered the third item he had on himself before arriving on Koholint Island.

He patted down his tunic, but could find no trace of the item at all. He turned to Marin and Tarin.

"Did you find anything else with me?" He asked.

"Just the shield, Link." Tarin reminded him. "Was there something in particular you lost?"

"No. Never mind, it's probably gone now." Link sighed. The ocarina was a tiny instrument hardly the size of his fist. Chances were he'd lost it when the lightning bolt struck the ship during the storm.

"Suit yourself, son." Tarin shrugged.

"Well, I'm ready to go!" Marin announced.

So the two young people stepped outside.

* * *

"Ah! I suppose I should give you the tour?" Marin asked with a bright smile.

"This is your village, right? Mabe Village?" Link took a quick look around the area. There weren't many houses, but what few residents he could see all seemed to be going about their business as usual.

"You remembered! Yes, this is where I've always lived!" Marin took a spot next to link and wrapped her arm around his.

She pointed north first. "Over there you can find the town square. There's a rooster statue in the center. The town shop is also there!"

Next, she pointed to the east. "Over that way is the Ukuku Prairie. I go out that way to explore often. It's very pretty!"

Wasting no time, she spun Link around to face west. "Follow this road past Madam Bow-Wow's house, and you'll reach a fork in the road! If you go north, you'll reach the Mysterious Forest. Father doesn't let me go there by myself, though. And..."

To finish, Marin turned Link south. "If you head south on the road, you'll reach the Toronbo Shores. That's where we're headed!"

Marin released Link's arm and stood before him. "So, all settled?" She beamed.

"I think so. Just follow the road, right?"

"And head south! I can come with you, if you like?" Marin asked with a hopeful expression. Link knew she hadn't made such a fuss in the house just to back out now.

"Sure. Just be careful, okay? If you said there were monsters, I don't want you to get hurt."

Link's warning didn't seem to faze the girl at all. "Monsters have always been on the island. I'm a fast runner, you know!"

* * *

So the two followed the road as Marin suggested, making small talk along the way. Marin seemed to be having a better time of it all than Link, who listened to her most of the time. It seemed as though Marin didn't have anyone else to talk to before now, and was taking advantage of the opportunity. Link brought this up at some point.

"There are some kids living in the village, but they're all a lot smaller than me. There's no one my age on the island." Marin explained.

With a sly smile, she added, "Before now."

Link felt a slight flush on his cheeks, but Marin didn't follow up on the remark. Before long, the two arrived on the shore near where they'd found Link. She pointed out the precise location from afar.

"See that piece of wood there? You washed up right around it." She pointed down by the water's edge. "Knocked me down when you did, too!"

"Sorry." Link said, rubbing the back of his head. He looked over the beach, hoping to find some trace of the ship. Other than the one piece of driftwood, there was no other sign of it. Just how far had he been taken by the waves during the storm?

"Link, look!" Marin cried out. He followed her finger to something sticking out of the sand down by the water. He couldn't be absolutely certain, but it looked to be his sword.

"Stay here, Marin. I'll go down there and get it." Link ordered, rushing down towards the object. Marin was about to object, but stood her ground and watched Link run off.

Link ran along the beach, closing the distance between himself and the object. It was indeed his sword, somehow still intact and not rusted over. Just as he was about to reach out for the weapon, Link felt a rumbling under his feet. Instinctively he leapt back, watching as a monster made its way to the surface in front of the sword. It was a Leever, a monster Link was familiar with. The green creature spun around with blinding speed, leaning forward to display its hundred tiny teeth. Link used his shield to deflect the monster to one side, and made a mad dash for the sword.

He took it in his hand, drawing it from the sand and swinging it in one swift motion. The Leever behind him was struck by the blade, and cleaved clean in two. Unlike other monsters Link had defeated in the past, this one erupted into a puff of dark smoke before it dissipated into the air.

From afar, Link could hear applause and cheer. It was Marin, waving down at him from where Link had asked her to wait. He raised his sword into the air, feeling both reunited and accomplished. He'd need a new sheathe for the blade, but it was good to have it back.

As Link made his way back up to Marin, he noticed something strange nearby. The entire time he'd been down on the beach, an owl had been watching everything play out from the safety of a palm tree nearby. When Link took notice of the bird, it cocked its head as if to acknowledge the young man, and took flight north. He wasn't sure if it was some kind of a sign.


	3. Mysterious Forest

Chapter III – Mysterious Forest

* * *

"Wow! That was amazing, Link!" Marin clapped her hands cheerfully.

"Huh?"

"How you destroyed that monster! It's like you're a pro!" She clarified with a smile. Link felt a blush on his cheeks at the praise.

"Well... I guess. I've fought many monsters in the past." Not that he'd ever been praised for much of it.

"You're so brave! I wonder if...?" Marin's voice trailed off, but she shook her head immediately. "Never mind. Want to head back to the village?"

"Yeah. Do you have any leather? I need to make a new sheathe for my sword." Link held the weapon out in front of Marin. She reached out reluctantly to touch it.

"Is it sharp?"

"Not as much as it used to be." Link laughed. He twisted his wrist slightly to better show her the faults in the blade. "It could use a bit of work. There aren't any blacksmiths in the village, right?"

Marin shook her head. "We don't need any."

"What about the monsters?" Link asked.

"Monsters aren't really violent. If you don't bother them, they won't bother you. And if they do... well, that's why we're such fast runners!" Marin smiled.

It was an odd way of thinking of things, but Link merely shrugged his shoulders. There was another question on his mind, but before he could ask it Marin started back up the slope towards the village.

"Let's go! I'm sure I can find you something to make that sheet!"

"It's 'sheathe'." Link corrected her. She giggled.

"Sheathe, then! Come on!"

As Link followed Marin around various ledges along the slope, he noticed a path that veered to the east. There were far more trees that way, almost obscuring the path from view.

"Marin, what's over there?" Link pointed out the overgrowth.

"There? Some kind of old cave. Father's explored it before, I think. I've never been there." After her explanation, she smiled mischievously. "Want to go see?"

Link shook his head. "Better not. It's not safe for me to have my sword out like this. We'll do it again some other day."

Marin smiled, and continued up the slope. There was an extra spring in her step the way back.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon, Link spent it sprawled out on the grass near Marin and Tarin's house, working diligently on his sheathe. Marin had managed to acquire some leather from one of the other villagers, and she had the rest of the necessary materials for Link to get to work. Initially, she'd offered to help, but Link knew she had no idea how to make one. As it were, neither did Link; but at least he had a better idea.

Tarin was no where to be found upon their return.

"Madame MeowMeow said he went off into the forest to gather toadstools. He's always been fond of them." She explained after Link had asked.

"The forest is north of here, right?"

Marin nodded. "Just around the corner at the end of the path there. Why?"

Link shook his head. "Just wondering."

It was in that direction the owl had flown off. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but through all his travels, Link had learned to pick up on strange occurrences. He was certain he'd come across the owl again soon. It might even be able to talk!

"Care for a song, Link?" Marin asked, producing the harp she'd packed away in her satchel earlier that day. For the first time, Link was able to get a closer look at the instrument.

"Is it a special harp?" He asked, taking note of the intricate design. There was even a kind of blue gemstone lodged into the frame.

"It is, actually!" Marin strummed the harp, producing a string of pleasant notes. "It's called the Surf Harp!"

With expert precision and timing, Link watched as Marin's fingers tugged on the different chords of the instrument. The melody she played wasn't familiar to the young man sitting on the ground, but it was nevertheless pleasing to hear. Link also noticed a strange glow emanating from the harp as she played. Even here, magical instruments seemed to be commonplace. Once Marin had finished the song, she looked down at him.

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah. What's the song called?"

Marin smiled. "The Ballad of the Wind Fish."

Link cocked his head slightly. "Wind Fish?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

Rather than tell him, Marin simply pointed up in the direction behind her house. Link looked on, seeing a rise that took the form of a mountain. A mountain on this island paradise wasn't surprising, but what was surprising was what sat atop that mountain peak. Nestled most snugly atop the highest mountain on the island was an egg. An egg of gigantic proportions, but an egg nonetheless. Link's jaw dropped at the sight of it. Prior to Marin pointing it out, he hadn't noticed the peculiar landmark.

"What is that?"

"The Wind Fish! Well, it's his egg, actually." Marin explained with a smile.

"Has that always been there?"

"As far as anyone remembers. They say if you wake the Wind Fish, he'll grant you a wish. Anything you want!"

In a way, it wasn't unlike the Triforce back in Hyrule. Among the poor, rumors of the Triforce granting wishes to anyone who touches it were common. Of course, the Royal Family denied it; they wouldn't want everyone fighting over such an object if it were real. And the Triforce was very much real. Link knew that for a fact.

"How do you wake the Wind Fish?" He asked.

"By singing it The Ballad of the Wind Fish. But not just anyone can do it." Marin held out her harp. "You need the proper instruments!"

The Instruments of the Sirens. Marin explained that there were supposedly eight of them hidden throughout Koholint Island. Most of the residents didn't really believe in the legend, however. And a lot of them didn't believe the instruments were real, either. Even after Marin and Tarin showed them irrefutable proof with the Surf Harp.

"So the harp is one of the instruments?" Link asked next.

Marin nodded. "Yup! Father found it up north, at the base of the Tal Tal Mountains. It was a long time ago, and he almost didn't make it back. When he saw that no one else wanted to help him get the rest, he gave up as well. I never asked him about where to find the rest of the instruments, either."

"What would you wish for? You want to wake the Wind Fish, right?"

Marin smiled softly, then looked to the south. At that moment, there were a flock of birds flying off towards the beach.

"To be a seagull." She whispered.

Before Link could press her further, Marin turned back to him with a beaming smile on her face. "It's strange that Father hasn't returned! I should go ask Madame MeowMeow if she's seen him. I'll be back!"

With that, Marin scurried off to a different part of the village. His focus back on the sheathe, Link finally finished the item by the time Marin returned. Tarin wasn't with her, however.

"Father hasn't come back from the forest." She told Link.

"Shouldn't we go look for him?" Link suggested. The red-haired girl shook her head, though.

"It's too late now. Father always warned me against going into the forest after sundown. We should wait until tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't think he'd be hurt. Maybe just lost. This has happened before." Marin sighed. "I'm sorry, Link."

"It's okay. I'll help you look for him in the morning." The young man smiled at her.

With the sun quickly setting on the island, Marin and Link returned to her home. The next day, they'd be off to search for the missing Tarin.

* * *

Despite it being another beautiful, bright day on Koholint Island, the trees of the Mysterious Forest reached high enough into the sky to block out most of the daylight. Link realized instantly why Tarin had warned his daughter against coming here after sunset. Link's hand did not move from the hilt of his sword the entire time.

"There's nothing to worry about, Link." Marin assured him. "The monsters in the forest are like the ones on the prairie."

"If we don't bother them, they won't bother us?"

Marin nodded. "Exactly!"

"Then why'd the Leever attack me on the beach yesterday?"

Marin couldn't come up with an answer, but she didn't have to. Not long after wandering into the forest, she found a bag discarded by a tall tree. When she collected it, she found a few mushrooms tucked inside.

"This is Father's bag," she told Link. She reached into the bag and pulled out one of the toadstools. It was red with white spots, and it had the most foul odor either of the two had ever smelled.

"Is it rotten?" Link asked, covering his nose.

"Doesn't look rotten. But it does smell awful." Marin threw it as hard as she could to a different part of the forest. It helped to alleviate the stench. One by one she checked each mushroom in Tarin's bag, discarding all the ones with a foul odor.

"Your father eats these things?"

"They taste delicious in a stew! Really!" Marin argued, a bit flustered. "But the ones that smelled... I don't think they're the same kind of toadstool. Maybe... maybe Father ate one by mistake?"

Link sighed. He thought Tarin a bit smarter than to try a mushroom with such a powerful stench about it. "So where is he?"

Marin took a quick look around. If her father had indeed eaten one of those mushrooms, he'd be nearby, probably passed out. But there was no sign of him anywhere.

"You don't think...?" Marin shook her head before she could bring herself to finish the sentence.

"I'm sure he's fine," Link said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "He's gotta be around here somewhere."

Link took Tarin's bag and slung it over his shoulder. Together, the two looked around the immediate area for Tarin, but there was still no sign of him. They moved on from near the tree where they found the bag, wondering if he had wandered off a ways after eating the mushroom. It was during their search that they came across someone else in the forest.

Garbed completely in black robes and a matching hat, an old woman made their acquaintance.

"Two young children wandering the forest?" She asked, tipping her hat to them.

"Ah! Good morning, ma'am." Marin bowed before the elderly woman. Link remained cautious, however.

"If it isn't young Marin. It is nice to see you doing well. And who is this young man beside you?" The old woman looked to Link.

"This is Link! He's new to the island."

The old woman's eyes lit up. "I see. That's why the island's been so interesting of late."

"Ma'am, have you seen my father?" Marin asked the old woman.

"Old Tarin's gotten himself lost in the woods, has he?" She cackled.

"We found his bag by a tree a short ways back, but we haven't seen him." Link explained.

"Were there toadstools?" The old woman asked.

"Yes! His bag was full of them!" Marin nodded eagerly.

"Could you spare a few, young Marin? I am need of fresh caps for my brew."

Marin took a few mushrooms from Tarin's bag and handed them to the old woman. She put them away in her own bag, and in their place handed a tiny pouch to Marin.

"This is magic powder. Go back to where you found Tarin's bag. You will find a raccoon there. Sprinkle some of this on his nose. You will find your father soon enough."

Though cryptic, Marin did not question the old woman's orders. Once Marin had bid the old lady farewell, she turned around to follow the path back to the tree where they'd found Tarin's bag.

"Did you know her?" Link asked along the way back.

"Yes! Her name's Syrup. She lives just past the forest on the Koholint Prairie." Marin explained. Then she added, "She's a witch!"

Practitioners of magical arts weren't a strange concept to Link. His first quest had been to thwart the deeds of a powerful dark wizard, something he only accomplished after months of travel and hardship. And if Marin was familiar with the witch Syrup, he wouldn't raise an objection to listening to her advice.

When the two arrived at the spot where they'd found Tarin's bag, sure enough there was a rather large raccoon scurrying about the area. Twice as big as any other animal Link had seen, it was happily eating toadstools growing around the large tree. Marin slowly creeped up on it with the pouch of magic powder, and poured out its contents onto the raccoon's nose.

The furry creature tried to brush the stuff off, but before it could, it sneeze, causing it to explode in a puff of pink smoke. Link and Marin both shielded themselves from the blast, but it was completely harmless. When it had dissipated, Tarin was standing where the raccoon was before.

"Father!" Marin cried out, embracing her stupefied parent.

"Marin? And Link, too?" Tarin rubbed both his eyes, unsure where he was. "I had the darndest dream I was a raccoon."

"I've told you not to eat the strange toadstools, Father!" Marin scolded. The older man laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry. I am a bit tuckered out, though. Maybe I should head back home for a while."

"I'll take you home! I don't want you to get lost again!" Marin turned to Link, whose attention was on something else entirely. "Link?"

"I'll catch up to you two. There's something I want to check out before I go back."

Marin was curious, but her father's health came first. She nodded. "Okay, I'll see you back at the village! Be careful!"

The girl lead her father away from the scene, leaving Link alone with another animal perched on one of the branches of the tree above. It was the same brown owl from the previous day on the beach. Rather than reach for his sword, Link backed away from the tree to get a better view of the animal.

"Who are you?" He asked the bird. The owl stared back silently for only a moment.

"A courageous adventurer has landed on Koholint, hoot. The nightmares stir."

"So you can talk. Who are you?" Link asked again.

"I serve the Wind Fish, he who sleeps atop Mount Tamaranch. You have come to wake the dreamer."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I washed up here after my ship was destroyed. I just want to get back to Hyrule."

The owl puffed its chest. "You cannot leave until the dreamer wakes."

"So then it's true? The Wind Fish is real?" Link asked. In response, the own spread out its wings, dropping something to the ground.

"Take this key. Head for the cave Marin spoke of. You will find something there to aid you."

With that, the owl spread its wings again and took flight south, as if to guide Link on his way. The young man approached the tree and found a key on the ground. The handle vaguely resembled a monster he was certainly familiar with.

If waking the Wind Fish was the only way for Link to leave Koholint Island, then that's what he'd have to do. While it seemed to be a tranquil, almost perfect place to call home, he couldn't just forget about the home he left behind.


	4. Tail Cave

Chapter IV – Tail Cave

* * *

Link made his way through the overgrowth of trees south of the village. He followed the road he'd asked Marin about the day before, finding it stopped not far from where it began. There was a clear enough path through, and Link followed it a ways to the cave mentioned by both Marin and the owl.

Surrounding the mouth of the cave were various statues, each in the shape of a monster Link had fought countless variations of in the past. Moldorms, large worm creatures with segmented bodies. They scurried about the ground with great agility, and sought to make short work of their enemies with their oversized mandibles. The only way to defeat them was to sever their tail; without it, they'd collapse within seconds. Link always believed their hearts were located there, which would account for the weakness.

Sword drawn and shield raised, Link pressed onward towards the cave entrance. In the past, what he'd thought to be stone facsimiles had come to life to strike him by surprise. But even as he passed by these statues, they remained silent and of stone. To make sure, Link tapped one with the hilt of his sword.

"That's good." He breathed a sigh of relief.

Inside the cave, Link found the remnants of what appeared to be a temple of some kind. Smashed pots, broken alters; familiar sights for the seasoned adventurer. Hyrule was filled with such abandoned temples, which often lead the youth to wonder why they were built in the first place. This particular cave only had one main hall, with a few doors leading in various directions. However, most of the doors had been sealed shut by cave-ins and debris. There was only one door untouched by time.

Link approached it, finding only a keyhole in the center of the door. He took a step back to inspect the archway above the door. To the unaware, it was simply an arch made of stone spheres. But Link saw the way the spheres grew in size from left to right. And beneath the largest sphere were a pair of stone mandibles. It was a giant Moldorm.

"I'm pretty sure it'll come to life when I try to open the door." Link said to himself. His voice echoed throughout the cave.

Just to make sure there was nothing else to be seen in the cave, he checked every other door he could find. Not unless he had help would he get any of the rubble out of the way to explore the other parts of the former temple. So he was left with the locked door and the stone Moldorm. With a sigh, he resigned himself to the inevitable.

Link fished the key from his tunic pocket and unlocked the door. It swung open with a loud creak, and blasted the young adventurer with a puff of dust and stale air. When it settled, he looked into the room beyond. Sitting in the middle of a tiny chamber was an instrument of some kind. Marin's tale was right: this was an Instrument of the Sirens.

Then there was a rumbling throughout the cave. Link looked to the archway above the door, seeing the spheres that made it up begin to stir. He backtracked to the opening of the cave, and watched as the stone Moldorm came to life before his eyes. The young man gripped his sword and shield tightly, ready to face the creature. The gray stone turned dark and black, and large white eyes appeared on the creature's head. They turned to lock onto Link.

"OUTZZZIDER!" A deep, loud voice echoed throughout the cave.

The Moldorm slithered towards Link, its large mandibles snapping all the way. Link picked up his feet and ran as fast as he could to the left side of the cave. The Moldorm followed, curling its body as it gave chase. Gradually, Link curved the way he was running, moving further and further right. Before long, he was running in a circle, chasing after the Moldorm's tail as the head of the monster closed in on the young man.

Link released his shield and threw it behind him, hitting the Moldorm in the face and causing it to flinch long enough for it to slow down. With that, he closed the distance between himself and the tail. Taking his sword in both hands, he drove the blade into the tail of the monster. The Moldorm released a deafening cry. With a twist of the blade, Link severed the tail of the monster. Much like the Leever on the beach, the Moldorm exploded into a cloud of black smoke. With a wail, the smoke was sucked out of the cave and into the sky above.

After gathering his shield again, Link returned to the chamber where the instrument rested. It was a cello, the wood finish glistening even in the dim light of the cavern. When Link touched it, the instrument began to glow, and began to play a part of a familiar melody. It was the Ballad of the Wind Fish.

* * *

Outside the cave, Link encountered the owl again perched atop one of the Moldorm statues. Link set the cello he had earned down to show the owl.

"This what you wanted me to find?" He asked the bird.

"That is one of the Instruments of the Sirens. It is the Full Moon Cello." The owl cooed.

"Why do I have to wake the Wind Fish to leave the island?" Link asked. The owl cooed softly.

"The Wind Fish dreams silently. But nightmares have taken him. It is necessary for the dreamer to rouse before you may leave."

"And if I just take a ship and leave without waking him?" Link didn't have a ship to speak of, but how hard could it be to fashion a raft with the abundance of materials on the island?

"The tide will bring you back here." The owl warned him.

Link sighed. "Alright, I'll collect the instruments and wake the Wind Fish."

"You must travel to the swamp in the north. You may find another instrument there. Good luck, courageous lad!"

The owl spread its wings and took flight again, this time to the north. It was still light out, but it wouldn't be long before the sun started setting. Marin and Tarin both would be worried about him by now, so he figured it best to return to Mabe Village. He also had to leave the cello behind; something that large wouldn't be easy to carry around.

* * *

"Link! I'm so glad you made it back!" Marin ran to his side once she saw him approach the house. Of course, she also saw the large object he had brought with him. "Is that...? A cello?"

"It's one of the Instruments of the Sirens. I found it in that cave south of the village."

"You went exploring the cave? Without me!?" Marin put her hands on her hips in protest.

"Sorry, but I didn't want to put you in danger." Link rubbed the back of his neck.

"No excuse! What if you'd gotten hurt instead?" Marin poked the young man's chest.

"I'm used to it."

"No excuse!" Again she poked him in the chest. "Next time, I'm going with you!"

Link opened his mouth to protest, but Marin only had to wave her finger in his face for him to reconsider the action. A third poke in the same spot would probably leave a bruise at this point. With a reluctant smile, Link nodded.

"Okay."

Marin's scowl turned into a smile. "Great! I'll put the cello away in my room."

Marin took the instrument from Link, who was surprised to see the young girl carry the large object without much fuss. Before she went inside, she turned around and pointed at Link one more time.

"Don't mention any of this to Father, okay?" Marin ordered him.

"Why not?"

"It's just... better if you don't." Marin winked at him.

Once she was inside the house, Link crossed his arms. His immediate thought as to why she wouldn't want Tarin knowing anything was for her own safety. After all, what father would want his daughter running around caves and dungeons looking for treasure?

Link followed Marin into the house, looking forward to a hot meal and some rest.


	5. Goponga Swamp

Chapter V – Goponga Swamp

* * *

"It's such a beautiful day! The perfect day for an adventure!" Marin yelled out. She took in a deep breath, basking in the cool morning air.

Behind her, Link was adjusting his sword and shield. Even he noticed what a cool morning it was. And he also made sure to remember to enjoy it while it lasted. Once they arrived at the swamp, it wouldn't be so cool anymore.

"How can Father sleep on a day like this? What a lazy person he is!" Marin looked out across the field, where she saw Tarin sprawled out on the grass napping. At his side were a few toadstools he'd saved up from his last trip to the forest.

"He's probably still tired from yesterday."

Marin shot Link a cold glare. "You're probably just as lazy as he is, aren't you?"

Feeling the waves of hostility radiating from the young redhead, Link pressed on ahead of her. She ran up next to him, but by then her scowl had turned to a smile again. As they walked side by side, Marin bumped her shoulder against Link's arm. At first, Link didn't do anything about it. But by the fourth or fifth shoulder bump, Link returned the favor. And so the two went along all the way through to the Mysterious Forest.

* * *

When the two arrived at the same tree where Tarin had turned into a raccoon the previous day, they stopped for a moment to rest up. Getting through the forest would take a bit longer, so Marin suggested they take the opportunity. It was also a pretense to ask Link a question that had been on her mind since the previous night.

"How'd you know to look in the cave for the instrument?"

Link was taken aback. "Why...?"

"No, how? I remember Father saying there was no way into the cave, or something. How did you do it? How did you know to look in there?"

Link tried to avert his gaze, but Marin wouldn't let him. He wondered for a moment if it would be wise to mention the talking owl.

"I found a key," he finally blurted out. The rest fell into place quickly. "It had a strange shape, so I wanted to see if it fit somewhere."

"But how did you know there would be a lock in a cave?" Marin's eyes grew narrow.

"A hunch." A lie. "Caves usually held secrets back in Hyrule."

"Hyrule?" The pressure over the cave and the cello vanished in the blink of an eye. "Is that where you're from?"

"Yes. You've never heard of it?"

Marin shook her head. "I've never been off this island. It'd be nice if someday I could see Hyrule."

The words of the owl rang in Link's ears. So, he figured he'd ask Marin the question. "Haven't you ever tried to leave the island?"

The girl looked off to a patch of grass on the ground rather than at Link. Something was holding her back.

"Is that why you want to wake up the Wind Fish?" Link asked her instead. Marin nodded.

"If I do, I can wish for something. Wish so I can fly away from this island."

"What if the Wind Fish can only grant one wish?" Link asked.

"Then you should get to wish to go home. It's only fair, right?" Marin smiled. Link could tell it was painful to say that.

"How about I make a wish for the both of us?"

Marin looked at him. "For both...?"

"I could wish that everyone on Koholint Island be allowed to leave any time they want. How's that?" Link smiled.

"You'd do that for me? I-I mean... for everyone?" Marin fought back a blush.

"If the Wind Fish can grant one person freedom, why not everyone?"

"Thank you, Link. Come on!" Marin jumped to her feet, catching the young man off-guard. "We have to hurry and collect all the instruments!"

Link rose to his feet. "Yeah. Together!"

Marin felt another blush on her cheeks, but Link didn't notice it this time. Together, the two marched onward out of the forest.

* * *

"This is the Koholint Prairie!"

Marin ran ahead of Link once they were clear of the forest. The sunlight was welcome after the darkness, even if it brought a heat that had the young man sweating already. He wiped some of it off with his sleeve, realizing why he felt so hot.

"Hot?" Marin asked him, closing the distance between them. Link took a step back.

"Y-Yeah. Hyrule's summers are never this hot." Link pulled on the collar of his outfit, hoping some cool air would make its way down the shirt.

"You should let me fix your tunic up! I could remove the sleeves, if you want."

Just as Link was about to accept her offer, he realized he'd have to take the outfit off for her to work on it. Rather than mention this, he thought up a different excuse.

"Well, you didn't bring anything to sew with, right? So we'll have to wait until we get back to the village."

Marin shook her head, however. "We can visit Syrup! I'm sure she has a sewing kit I could borrow."

"It's okay. We should just visit the swamp and head back to the village."

"Well, the swamp is still a bit north of here. Even if we found the instrument right away, I don't think we'd make it back to the village today." Marin had a mischievous smile on her face.

"You had a camping trip planned all along." Link sighed.

Marin giggled. "Something like that! The swamp is much hotter, so it's better if you let me fix your tunic up first!"

Marin turned away from the road north, instead heading in the opposite direction. "Syrup's house is just this way, past the pond! Let's go!"

* * *

It turned out to be more of a hut than a house. The old woman had fashioned a large, hollowed out tree into her residence. A tree of this size was probably a sight back when it was still alive. Now, the branches were devoid of leaves or any sign of life. Just beyond it, Link could see a field just as glum as the treehouse before him.

"I know it looks a bit spooky, but she's really a nice old lady! Even is she is a witch."

Marin approached the entrance to the hut, which lacked a door. Still, the young redhead tapped on the bark around the entry and called out inside. Not long after, Marin signaled for Link to follow her in. Despite Marin's assurances, Link kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Inside, the place was illuminated by a few candles and a fire underneath a great cauldron. A familiar scent filled the hollow, that of toadstools boiling in some kind of stew. Link abandoned his sword to favor his nose.

"Welcome, children. Fortunate our paths should cross again so soon." Syrup greeted with a smile.

"We're on our way to Goponga Swamp. We stopped by to borrow a needle and some thread." Marin tugged on Link's sleeve. "So I can fix up Link's outfit."

"I see. Hyrule's climate is much more lenient." Syrup mentioned as she started her search for the requested items. Link's ears perked up.

"How did you know I was from Hyrule?"

"Your shield. It bears the royal crest, as well as the Triforce." Syrup handed the thread and needle to Marin.

"Take it off, Link. The fast I finish the quicker we can get going!"

Forgetting his earlier hesitation, Link wasted no time in removing his tunic. He handed the garment to Marin, who tried her best to avert her gaze from Link's well-toned body.

"Do you know about the Triforce here? In other places I've visited, the legends weren't well known." Link asked the old woman.

"Hyrule's tales and legends stretch far beyond the Royal Family's territory. However, here on Koholint few know of the Golden Power."

Link turned to Marin, who was happily working on his tunic. Now that he thought about it, neither she or Tarin mentioned the markings on his shield. What few other townsfolk he'd interacted with seemed to even care he was from beyond the island. Judging by Marin's reaction to his arrival, it wasn't often people landed on the island. And if the only way to leave was by waking the Wind Fish... why hadn't there been more of fuss at his arrival?

"Marin, do you know about the Triforce?" Link asked her.

"Not really. It's like the legend of the Wind Fish, right?"

"I guess, in a way. But don't you know about the three Goddesses who created the land?"

Marin shook her head. "No. Koholint's just an island in the middle of the Great Sea. I'd love to visit Hyrule some day, though!" She smiled.

"You will find young Marin here a rarity among the islanders. It's best you don't mention your plan to leave." Syrup warned him. A similar warning was offered by Marin the night before.

"Is there a reason?" Link asked, hoping for some clarification. The witch merely shook her head.

"It is better you do not ask such questions."

She was hiding something, probably the same thing Marin was hiding. But neither was about to start talking, so Link dropped the subject altogether. He knew what he had to do to escape the island, it was just a matter of time before he gathered the instruments to do so. What few monsters prowled the island posed little danger to Link, especially considering the challenges he faced in the past.

"All done!" Marin called out not long after.

She handed the modified garment to Link, who slipped it back on. Without the sleeves, it was not only much cooler to wear, but also far lighter.

"Thanks. It feels much better now!"

Marin giggled, a slight blush on her cheeks. "You're welcome! And thank you, ma'am!"

"Any time, dearies. Do visit again soon."

Marin returned the borrowed supplies to the old woman, and they were on their way once more north.

* * *

The stench and humidity of the swamp was far worse than the overbearing scent of boiling mushrooms in Syrup's hut. Marin's claim of it being hotter were also correct; even with his lighter tunic, Link could feel his body drenched in sweat within minutes of arriving. Marin's hair, normally flowing in the wind, was drooping around her shoulders.

"Are you sure we'll find an instrument here?" She asked.

"I think so. He wouldn't lie to me."

"'He'? Who's 'he'?"

Link shook his head. "Never mind. Come on."

There had been one other swamp Link had been forced to traverse in the past. It was called Misery Mire, a fitting name for the place. At some point, it had been a desert, but a never-ending storm had turned the place into a wretched marsh infested with all manner of foul and venomous creatures. Fortunately for the two young people, Goponga Swamp wasn't anywhere near as bad.

"There's a lot of flowers around here," Link pointed out. Marin immediately held him back from touching one.

"Those are Goponga Flowers. They're the reason the swamp has its name."

"Are they poisonous?" Link asked, taking a closer look at the pale yellow flower. The plant stirred, and again Marin pulled him away.

"Worse. They'll eat you!" She warned.

From a distance, Link watched as the flower bloomed open, revealing a row of teeth much like those found in Leevers. When the flower sensed there was nothing nearby it could attack, it closed back up.

"See? You have to be very careful!"

"Well, we have to keep looking for the instrument. Do you know any way around the flowers?"

Marin shook her head. "This is probably the best way in. We'll have to be careful."

Link looked at Marin skeptically. "We? Maybe you should stay out here."

"I can help! If both of us are looking for the instrument, we'll find it faster!"

"You stay, I'll go in and look. I don't want you to get hurt." Link ordered, sounding a bit more forceful than usual. Marin crossed her arms in a pout.

"Fine." She didn't sound happy at all.

Still, Link would have to suffer her scorn. Sword brandished, he cut the branch where the Goponga Flower was growing and moved into the deeper parts of the swamp. The water climbed up to his knees, slowing his movement considerably. As far as he could tell, there was only one 'path' to follow through the swamp, surrounded by an overgrowth of vines and lines with the same flowers hoping to feast on the young adventurer.

At the end of it, Link came upon a Goponga Flower larger than any of the ones before it. It stood towering above him, twice his height. Sensing him nearby, the flower erupted into full bloom, and vines all around thrashed about as they sought the intruder. As the vines closed in on Link, the young man swung his sword around him, cutting the vines as they tried to wrap around him. But no matter how many of the vines he cut, they continues to emerge from around the flower.

Link began to back away, hoping to put some distance between himself and the flower. The flower only intensified its attack, sending more and more vines at Link.

"Link!"

From behind, Marin called out to the boy. Against his orders, she had followed him into the marsh. Vines shot past Link and aimed for Marin immediately, and the young girl could do nothing to protect herself from being captured.

"Marin!" Link cried out.

The vines pulled the girl in, and just out of Link's reach with the sword. Instead, the young man ran as fast as he could through the swamp water to the flower. He plunged his sword into the petal, but it did nothing to slow the vines around it. Making a last ditch effort, Link leapt into the flower himself, his sword aimed down to cut into the monster from the inside.

There was a shriek from the flower, and the vines dragging in Marin through the air let the girl drop to the ground. Link then emerged from the flower, parts of his tunic ripped from the teeth on the flower.

"Are you okay, Link?" Marin asked, scrambling to her feet.

"I'm fine. Just my tunic that was ripped. Are you okay?"

Marin nodded. "Yeah, just a bit scared was all."

"I told you not to come here."

Marin chuckled nervously. "Sorry, I just wanted to help..."

"Well, thanks anyway. Come on, I think I saw something just past the giant flower."

After crawling over the dead monster plant, the two arrived at a little indentation in the cliff wall. Sitting there unceremoniously was a pot about half Marin's height. The girl moved forward to pick up the pot, but Link held her back. He had a bad feeling about it all, and suspected some kind of nightmare similar to the Moldorm that attacked him before.

"What's wrong, Link?"

"It could be a trap. We should be careful." He warned her.

At that moment, the pot shook in place. A dark mist began to spew from it, and a deep voice began to echo inside. It was unintelligible at first, but Link perked his ears up to try and discern what it was saying. As the voice cleared up, he heard something else. The sound of clay breaking.

In the moment Link was listening to the voice, Marin had walked up to the pot and knocked it over, causing it to shatter. As Link stood there dumbfounded, a similar cloud of black smoke shot for the sky. Among the rubble was what they'd been looking for all along. Marin picked it up and showed it to Link.

"Look! It's the Conch Horn!"

"Marin, what did you just...?"

"The pot? What was I going to do? Let whatever monster was inside charge up and attack us?" She shrugged.

Link really had no response to that. All he could do was laugh at her.

"Let's go. We should head back to Syrup's place before sunset." Marin tucked the instrument into her satchel alongside her harp and marched ahead of Link. This didn't last long, as Link caught up to the girl and marched by her side.


	6. Tabahl Wasteland

Chapter VI – Tabahl Wasteland

* * *

Link tried again to play the Ballad of the Wind Fish, but there was no way to make the proper notes play on the Conch Horn. Marin, on the other hand, had no trouble strumming her harp to reproduce the melody. Every time Link blew into the horn, it glowed with magic energies, but the sounds weren't right.

"It's a magic instrument, Link. I'm sure when we use it to wake the Wind Fish, it'll play the song properly." Marin giggled at his latest attempt.

The green-garbed youth put the horn back into Marin's satchel. "I hope so. If I have to learn how to play all the instruments to wake the Wind Fish, I think I'd just stay here on Koholint."

Marin missed a note on the harp. Link looked in her direction, but her gaze did not leave the harp.

"Something wrong?" He asked. The girl remained silent for a moment.

"Would...? No. Nothing." She continued playing from where she left off.

The sun had set, and both of them were just waiting for sleep to weigh down their eyelids. Syrup's hut wasn't large enough to accommodate more than herself, so they were forced to sleep outside her trunk of a home. Thankfully, it was another cool summer night. Armed with a couple spare blankets Syrup provided, they would camp out under the stars together. This was the first time since arriving on Koholint Island that Link had bothered to look up at the stars in the night sky.

"They're the same, at least."

"What?" Marin asked.

"The stars. I used to look up at them at night, when I was in Hyrule or out at sea. They're the same here." Link clarified. Marin looked up, but not for long.

"Why wouldn't they be the same?"

"I heard once if you lived far from Hyrule, even the stars would be different."

"How is that possible? It's the same sky, isn't it?" Marin sighed.

"I guess you're right. Sorry for bringing it up."

There was another moment of silence between them, noticeable since Marin stopped playing her harp. She was the one to break it after a few moments.

"Link?"

"Yeah?"

"You wouldn't mind staying... would you?"

Link turned his head to look at Marin. She was sitting on an old stump near Syrup's hut. "What do you mean?"

"Stay here, on the island."

"I thought you wanted to leave, too?"

Marin fiddled with the strings of her harp. "Yes, but... if we can't leave, I mean. Would you mind staying here?"

Link turned back to the stars in the sky. If those were the same, how different could life here on Koholint Island be? There were fewer monsters than Hyrule, that was for sure. But... there were still people he missed from his home. Family, too.

"I have to go back." Link finally answered.

"So you wouldn't want to stay?" Marin lowered her voice.

"We have three of the instruments already. I think we have a good chance of escaping the island together."

"Together?"

Link turned to face Marin. "That's what we agreed on, remember? We'll go to Hyrule together."

A smile formed on Marin's lips. "Yeah."

She looked up at the sky, finding the stars a bit brighter now. "Together."

* * *

The morning sun shone down on the two the next day, warming their bodies. Link was the first to wake, stretching his body out before taking up his equipment. They had a full day's march ahead of them back through the Mysterious Forest. He figured they'd have to wait until the next day to set out for the next instrument.

That's when it occurred to Link: he didn't know where to look next. His clue regarding the swamp was given to him by the owl, who hadn't made an appearance since then. He looked down at Marin, who still seemed to be sleeping. If he had to guess, the owl wouldn't show up unless he was alone. So with Marin still asleep and Syrup off since earlier in the morning, Link wandered further south of the old witch's hut.

There was a worn trail leading south from the hut, parts of it now overtaken by shrubs and tall grass. Still, Link followed it as far it lead, arriving at a cliff overlooking a different part of the island. From there, he could see a vast field, and beyond it a lake. He could even see Mabe Village from there, partially obscured by trees growing around the village. If they could only climb down that cliff, it'd take them far less time to return.

"Ukuku Prairie." The voice of the owl rang out from a branch nearby. As Link had suspected, he finally showed.

"Is that where I have to go next?"

The owl opened a wing, pointing to the field below. "You are here. This is the prairie."

"So I'll find the next instrument here." Link looked over the field. It was a large expanse, and it would take some time to explore it all.

"Seek the exiled prince. He will help."

Without waiting on an answer from Link, the owl took flight, this time south beyond the lake. One final clue for Link.

Upon his return to Syrup's hut, Link found the old woman kneeling over Marin. Curious, Link ran over to see what was going on. Marin still looked to be asleep, but the old woman was watching over her closely.

"What's wrong?" Link asked. Syrup mumbled something he couldn't understand at first.

"Young Marin has taken ill."

* * *

With Link's help, Marin was taken into Syrup's hut. The old woman got right around to diagnosing her condition, while Link was forced to wait outside due to the cramped home. A few moments later, Syrup emerged with a weak smile on her face.

"There is nothing to worry about, young master. Marin will recover with the right herbal remedy."

Link sighed. "Thank the Goddesses. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Syrup chuckled. "There is. You must find what I need to prepare the remedy."

"Anything. Just tell me where to find it."

Syrup raised her left arm and pointed behind her hut. Link looked over the old woman's shoulder, seeing the path that lead past her home.

"In that direction you'll find the Tabahl Wasteland. It's a desolate place, but it's the only path to reach the island cemetery." She explained.

"Why do I need to go to the cemetery?"

"On one of the gravestones you'll find a rare toadstool growing. It is green, with white spots. You must bring me as many of those as you can."

"Is that all?"

The old witch nodded. "I will keep young Marin strong with other concoctions. Only you may truly save her. Be quick, young hero!"

Link wasted no time in departing. With a sprint in his step, he ran off in the direction of the wasteland. He wouldn't let anything happen to Marin.

* * *

No sounds could be heard in the Tabahl Wasteland. No wind swept through there, and the only other living creatures were crows that called the lifeless trees their home. Aside from the occasional caw or flap of the wings, it was silent as death there.

Link wondered how a place as beautiful as Koholint could have something this dark and dreary. The entire time he walked through the place, his sword was drawn and ready, but the crows did not move to attack. They watched the young man garbed in green wander through, but did nothing to deter him. Before long, Link was out of the wastelands proper and in the cemetery.

In a way, this place was far worse than the one before it. Tombstones lined the fenced area, each one bearing the name of a deceased villager. Unlike the wasteland, here Link could hear signs of life carried on the wind. The cemetery overlooked the Ukuku Prairie, and from there he could see even further out to the east. As Link's gaze shifted east, he noticed another structure directly east of the cemetery.

Standing tall and surrounded by a great moat was a castle. Similar in style and shape to Hyrule Castle, this one uncannily did not belong here. Compared to the quaint Mabe Village, there was no reason a structure of this size and class should be on Koholint Island. Link took a quick look around, hoping the mysterious owl would drop by to explain the castle's existence to him. When the bird did not show, he figured he'd have to wait and ask Marin.

Instead, the youth turned his attention back to the gravestones. Spotting green mushrooms growing around one wouldn't take long considering there was no live grass anywhere in sight. And sure enough, after only a few minutes of searching, Link found what he was looking for. He picked half a dozen of the white spotted green caps and put them into Marin's satchel, which he had brought along for the task. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes turned to the markings on the gravestone. Curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned in to see who it was rested here.

But the stone said nothing. Markings were scribbled onto the rock, but nothing Link could make out as letters familiar to him. Even if they were somehow ancient Hylian symbols, but these were just random scratches. He checked the next gravestone, and found the same inane markings. So too for the third and fourth stones he checked.

It was a peculiarity to be sure, but not one he could indulge now. Marin's health was of greater importance.

* * *

"Oh! Welcome back, Link!"

It was Marin who greeted the young man upon his return. She looked to be healthy as could be.

"Marin? Are you okay?" Link took the girl's hands, inspecting her face closely. Other than a intense blush, she looked to be perfectly fine.

"Of course I am! There was never anything wrong with me."

Confused, Link turned to Syrup. The old witch chuckled under her breath. "It seems I was mistaken. With a draught of Fairy's Tears the girl was healthy as the Goddess again."

"So these mushrooms...?" Link asked, holding up the satchel. The old woman took it from him and emptied it of all the fungi.

"For me. It's quite tiring for an old woman to gather such delicacies on her own." Syrup laughed.

It had all been a pointless errand. Dejected, Link released a heavy sigh. Marin gave him a pat on the back.

"It's okay. I really was a bit sick. Syrup just wanted to make sure you were put to good use while she made me the medicine." Her smile seemed to be enough to lift his spirits again.

"I guess. We should get going, then. I think we can take a shortcut back to Mabe Village from here."

Link pointed to the south, and Marin nodded. "The old road to the prairie. So you went exploring without me again."

"Sorry. But I think I know where to go for the next instrument!"

"Thank you, Link." Marin said, with no real context.

"What for...?"

Marin smiled at him again, then leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek. "For running off to save me again."

Both of them blushing, Marin was the first to start walking. Link looked onward, feeling his heart racing in his chest.


	7. Ukuku Prairie

Chapter VII – Ukuku Prairie

* * *

It didn't take much effort for Link and Marin to climb down the cliff from the Koholint Prairie. With a little searching, Link discovered an old path that wound around the cliff down to the open fields. Once there, Marin suggested the two return to Mabe Village before doing anything else.

"We can't carry around the instrument with us. Wouldn't want it to break!" She reasoned.

Not to mention it wasn't easy to carry them around. The Conch Horn was a smaller instrument, but if there were larger ones like the cello they'd have to make frequent return trips to the village.

"I also want to check in with Father. I hope he isn't worried about us."

"Do you stay away from home a lot?" Link asked, wondering if adventuring was a pastime of hers.

Marin shyly tugged on her hair. "Not a lot. There's a lot to see on the island! I don't want to spend all my time cooped up in the village!"

"You're right about that. While I was looking for the green mushrooms, I saw a castle somewhere in that direction." Link signaled away from the village.

"Kanalet Castle! It belongs to a prince, but I've never really met him. Father always tells me not to travel that far from the village alone."

"I have a feeling we'll find one of the instruments there. So we might get to meet the prince after all." Link smiled.

"Oh I hope so! I've always wanted to see what it's like! Since Father told me about it, I've had dreams where I lived in the castle, like a princess!"

Marin's eyes sparkled at the thought. In that moment, Link could imagine her in a gown much like Princess Zelda's, sporting a tiara of her own and sitting on a throne.

"I'm sure you'd make a wonderful princess."

Marin's cheeks went red. "Y-You think so?"

Link nodded, but Marin immediately changed her mind.

"I wouldn't want to be a princess anymore."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I don't think you're a prince, silly!"

With that, Marin skipped ahead of Link, letting the young man think about the passive confession he just received. It warmed his heart Marin had taken a liking to him, because he was also starting to feel the same way about her.

* * *

"Good to see you two back." Tarin was sitting outside their home, taking in the sun. He didn't seem too worried, though.

"You're not mad, are you?" Marin asked meekly. Link took a step forward, ready to claim responsibility for everything if he had to.

Tarin shook his head. "Not at all. I know you're always running off on your own. Like your old man!"

"I thought you'd be, because I was with Link..." Marin whispered, a slight tinge in her cheeks.

"Why would I be? Link's a strong lad. He'd protect you against anything. Ain't that right, son?"

"O-Of course!" Link stammered. Tarin let out a hearty laugh.

"What I tell you? Where did you two kids run off to, though?"

Link and Marin looked at each other for a moment, silently telling one another to go with whatever the other said. Marin spoke up.

"Syrup's hut. She wanted some help gathering toadstools, so we helped her."

"That so? Should remember to thank the old bat next time I see her. For turning me back into a human the other day." Tarin chuckled.

"Father, we're going out again. Not very far, just here around the prairie." Marin informed him. She made sure not to mention the castle or the instrument in her satchel.

"I'll be down by the beach today. Been in the mood for some bananas, so I'm gonna see if that gator's willin' to share some."

As Link wondered why an alligator would hoard bananas, Marin sneaked into the house past her father to put away the Conch Horn. When he was left alone with Tarin, the older man gave him a tug on his tunic.

"You look after Marin, ya hear? She's a bit bossy at times, but when no's no, you put your foot down, ya hear?" He whispered.

Link already knew how she could be, following the events at the swamp. Still, he nodded. "Yes, sir."

Marin emerged again. "Alright! I'm all set, Link! Let's get going!"

The redhead wasted no time in pushing Link away from the house and back in the direction of the prairie. They both waved good-bye to Tarin and were on their way once more.

* * *

"There's a lake here on the prairie. We could start looking for the next instrument there!" Marin suggested, leading the way across the idyllic grasslands. There was a strong wind coming in from the sea which kept them both refreshed.

"What about the castle? I think we'll have better luck there." Link said, remembering the words of the owl.

"We'll go to the castle next! There's a road that leads south of the lake to the castle!" It seemed Marin had her heart set on exploring the lake area first.

Rather than fight her on this, Link simply nodded and let her lead the way. After all, he was in no real rush to find the next instrument. And once he left Koholint Island, it would be a long time before he could return. Fortune had favored them so far, and there weren't many monsters around where ever they went.

Once they arrived at the lake, Marin pointed out a cave on a small islet in the middle.

"See? That's why I wanted to come here first!"

It wasn't a very large cave, but it did resemble the one Link explored before, where the cello had been hidden. However, if this cave was sealed, he didn't have a key to open it.

"We'll have to swim to get there, so-" As Link turned to face Marin, he caught the girl in the middle of slipping off her blue dress. With a bit of a yell the young man spun around, giving her a bit of privacy if nothing else.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" He frantically asked.

"We have to swim to get there, like you said." She replied, tossing the blue garment onto the ground.

"But why are you undressing?!"

"I don't want my dress to get all wet, of course. And it's pretty hard to swim in that." Marin looked down at her own body, realizing why Link was acting so strange. A fiendish smile formed on her face.

"Don't tell me you've never seen a girl in a bathing suit before~?" She teased.

"O-Of course I have!" Link barked back, still refusing to turn around. From what little he saw, he was certain the garments under her dress weren't a bathing suit.

"Oh really? I wonder who it was?" Marin eyed herself again. "Or maybe she was bigger than me?"

Link bit his tongue, refusing to play Marin's game. Anything he said would be turned on him in some way. In the past he'd been teased much the same way by at least two other women he'd traveled with. When Marin realized Link wouldn't turn around or answer her, she conceded.

"Alright, you win. I'll put my dress back on and wait here while you explore the island yourself."

Link slowly turned around. True to her word, Marin was in the process of slipping her dress back on. It was only a glimpse, but Link couldn't help but admire the young girl's trim figure. Once she was fully clothed again, Link turned around completely. Marin giggled, seeing that his face was still flushed red.

"Sorry."

"D-Don't worry about it." He said, feeling his face grow hotter still. He turned his attention to the island now.

"Guess I'll go over there now. I won't take long."

"Actually, there's no need for you to go." An unfamiliar voice called out.

Link and Marin looked to the source, a young man with dark hair garbed in royal dress. He flung back his red cape so he could greet the two adventurers properly.

"Forgive my rudeness. My name is Richard!"

* * *

After a brief round of introductions, Richard lead Link and Marin south of the lake to his private villa tucked away in a grove. Along the way, Richard explained that the Instrument of the Sirens they were looking for was once hidden in the cave Link was about to search. Years ago, Richard explored that same cave and retrieved the instrument, the Sea Lily Bell. As such, it was now property of Richard and stored safely in Kanalet Castle.

"Alas, things have gone terribly for us both." Richard continued once they were back in his villa. The place was crawling with frogs for some reason, but the animals scurried off to corners of the room when they entered.

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"Some days past my servants turned on me. Out of the blue they started following the orders of a monster that invaded my castle. I had no choice; I fled from my home and came here." Richard sighed.

"That's awful!" Commented Marin. She was more focused on the frogs, though. Whenever one of them hopped, her heart skipped a beat at the creature coming closer to her.

"Indeed. Considering your noble quest to wake the Wind Fish, if the legend is true, I'd have gladly given you the instrument. There's little I can do for you now, though."

"What if I help you retake your castle?" Link offered. The young prince's eyes lit up.

"You'd help me do that?"

"If that's the only way we can get the bell, then yes."

Richard rose from his seat. "Then it's settled. We shall leave at once!"

"Alright!" Marin cheered. Both Richard and Link looked at one another, then at her. Immediately she knew what they were thinking.

"Link, dear fellow, we shouldn't take the lady Marin along with us." Richard told him. In a way Link was glad he was the first to say it. Marin turned her anger on the prince.

"And why not?" She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him.

"My servants are armed and extremely dangerous, my lady. Link looks to be an accomplished swordsman, and I am a master of the blade. Together, we can take back my keep from the monster. You, on the other hand..."

Marin looked to be furious. But no matter how much she'd pout and fuss about it, she knew she'd only be a hindrance to both of them. She looked at Link, who tried his best not put her down further over the matter.

"We'll be back before you know it." He told her softly. The redhead sighed and nodded.

"Fine. I'll wait here with the frogs. This is the last time, okay? I don't just want to sit out of all the adventures."

After promising her she'd be allowed to accompany him on the hunt for the next instrument, Link and Richard departed for Kanalet Castle. It would be sundown by the time they'd arrive at the castle walls.


	8. Kanalet Castle

Chapter VIII – Kanalet Castle

* * *

The last traces of sunlight were vanishing from the sky as Richard and Link helped one another over the castle walls. Once inside the castle grounds, Richard recommended they wait until it was dark to move in.

"There's a secret passage around this side of the castle. It's how I managed to escape the first time. It'll lead us straight to the throne room."

"Do you know what the monster looks like?" Link asked. It would most likely be up to him to do away with the beast, so he wanted to know as much about it as he could ahead of time.

"Can't help you there, friend. When my people turned, all I could hear was its voice. It was like the entire castle had turned into the monster. No matter where I ran, I could hear his voice echoing in the halls."

There really was no way of guessing what it could be from just that. From the description, Link recalled monsters known as Wallmasters from his adventures in Hyrule. But even those things couldn't talk. He'd have to play this one by ear.

"When we get inside the castle, we'll go straight for the treasury. If something goes wrong, at least we can make it out with the instrument." Richard chipped in. It was as though he was already giving up.

"We'll take back the castle. Promise." Link assured him.

"Let's hope so. There's no harm in a back-up plan." Richard chuckled nervously. He really was giving up already.

Once it was night proper, Richard lead the way to the hidden passage he mentioned. After getting some help from Link to remove the stone blocking it, the two went inside. It was an old stone tunnel that lead directly to the throne room as Richard claimed. Surprisingly, there was no one else there, despite the torches being lit in the room.

"This doesn't feel right..." Richard whispered.

"Yeah, but we're here already so let's get to the treasury. Where is it?"

Richard pointed to a barred door on the other side of the room. "Right over there. I have the only key, so the bell should be safe."

As the two crossed the silent throne room, Link could hear a strange sound. Once they'd arrived at the treasury door, Link signaled for Richard to remain silent. Perking his ears up, Link tried to identify the source of the strange sound. It sounded wet, like water being swept against cobblestone.

"What is that?" Richard whispered.

"The prince returns." A booming voice echoed in the room. Link drew his sword, while the young prince froze in place.

"Who are you?" Link called out. The strange sound continued for a moment.

"I am master of this castle. Outsider, you do not belong here." The voice echoed.

This was the second time Link had been called as such by a monster. How was it they knew he wasn't from Koholint Island?

"You're right," Link answered. "I don't. That's why I'm trying to leave."

"There is no escape. The Wind Fish cannot wake."

Before Link answered, he motioned for Richard to slowly open the locked treasury door.

"If I collect the instruments and play the song, he'll wake up! That's what the legend says, right?"

"The legend is a lie! To wake the Wind Fish is to destroy the island itself!"

Richard succeeded in opening the door, and had snuck inside to collect the instrument. Link didn't notice, lost in thought regarding what the monster was talking about.

"What do you mean?"

The voice laughed, which echoed throughout the throne room. "What a fool. You will not live to see this dream finished!"

There was a splashing sound from above. Link instinctively leapt forward, narrowly escaping a gruesome fate. The monster turned out to be a large eyeball, twice his height. As the mass of liquid jiggled in place, the pupil focused on the young adventurer.

"Link?!" Richard called out from behind the eyeball. It immediately spun around to fix its gaze on Richard instead.

"Run! Take the bell and go back to Marin!" Link ordered. The young prince wasted no time in fleeing.

Link rushed the large eyeball, sword aimed forward and plunged it into the pupil of the creature. Effortlessly Link cut through the monster, leaving behind two halves. When he turned to see his handiwork, Link was stunned to see the single pupil had become two of equal size.

"You will die here, hero!" Both eyeballs cried out in unison.

Unable to follow Richard out the way they came, Link made a dash for some stairs leading up to the next floor. He climbed as fast as his legs could carry him, with both eyeballs in close pursuit one after the other up the stairwell. At the end of the stairs was the castle balcony, overlooking the moat that connected to a river headed south.

Link spun around, shield first to protect himself from the impending attack. The first eyeball crashed at full speed into the shield, taking it over the balcony railing along with itself. Left only with his sword, Link stood against the second eyeball. Rather than thrust forward again, he swung at the eye, but it was of little use. No matter how much he cut through it, the liquid outer layer regenerated after every cut.

"It ends here, outsider!"

The eyeball closed the distance between them. With no other option left to him, Link jumped onto the balcony railing. Sheathing his sword first, he leapt off the balcony as hard and far as he could. It was a close call, but the young man narrowly avoided landing on the castle wall and plunged into the moat below. Nearby, Richard watched the whole scene play out. He even saw as the eyeball leapt into the moat after Link.

In the water below, Link struggled to stay afloat at first. Weighed down by his sword, he also had to contend with the eyeball, who was able to move as effortlessly in the water as it did on land. Again left with no alternative, Link let himself go under the surface of the water. The eyeball, too light to dive in after him, was unable to give chase.

Under water, Link kicked his legs as hard as he could, putting some distance between him and the eyeball before he went back up for air. Once he did, he found himself getting dragged along by the river current. As he struggled again to stay above the surface, his sword dragged him down in conjunction with the current. Water entered his lungs, and underwater he coughed and tried desperately to find air.

Before long, his body shut down in the hopes of keeping him alive long enough to make it out of the water.


	9. Catfish's Maw

Chapter IX – Catfish's Maw

* * *

"What do you mean he didn't make it?!" Marin yelled at Richard. The prince tried his best to keep the distance between himself and the angry redhead.

"The monster attacked us! Link stayed behind to fight it!"

"Why didn't you stay and help him?!" Marin screamed. She threw the first thing she could get her hands on at Richard, which ended up being a plate.

"I tried, but the monster was so large dangerous! But look! I brought back the instrument!"

Richard tossed the bell at Marin, who caught it with her left hand without even looking. She waved the instrument at Richard, causing it to glow much the same as any other instrument when used.

"I don't care! None of it matters unless Link is safe!"

Richard finally found himself cornered by Marin, and the prince could do nothing but quiver in fear as the girl towered over him. She pointed the bell at him one more time.

"What happened to Link?" She demanded.

"He flew off the balcony and into the river! The monster went in after him! I didn't see anything after that!"

Marin took a step back. She couldn't believe it would end like that. Link wouldn't die from a fall into the river...

She fell to the floor, her eyelids heavy and her eyes welling up. Dropping the bell to the floor, she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. She muttered a prayer for Link's safety, tears streaming down her cheeks. There wasn't anything else she could do for him now.

* * *

Link coughed up a fair bit of water as he regained consciousness. He forced open his eyes, taking a look around to see where he'd washed up. Other than a single source of light coming from some kind of cave opening, the place was dark. He was also not alone; perched right beside him was the owl.

"Brave lad, you awaken. But not completely from this dream." It spoke.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not dreaming." Link answered, forcing himself to his feet.

"Hoot... if you believe so."

"Where am I?" Link asked, taking a better look around the small cave he'd ended up in.

"This is a region known as Catfish's Maw. It is in the heart of Martha's Bay."

"How'd I end up here?"

"The current brought you here. Fortunate it did, you would not have survived otherwise." The owl cooed.

"Did Richard get the instrument out of the castle?" Link asked, remembering the previous night's mission.

"He did. Four instruments are now in the possession of Marin of Mabe Village. The Wind Fish stirs." Somehow, the owl looked pleased.

"So where's the next one?"

The owl spread its wings in reply. "Here. You must search the great catfish for the Wind Marimba."

Aside from the exit, there was only one other way to go. Back under the water. Linked looked down at the owl.

"How deep does this place go?" He asked the guardian bird.

"Not so far the hero cannot reach. Good luck!"

As usual, with his message imparted, the owl took flight out of the cavern. If it was daylight outside, then it would have been a whole night since he'd seen Marin. Since Richard managed to get the Sea Lily Bell to her, Link had no reason to worry about her safety. But he did wonder how she was handling his absence. Would she wait at Richard's Villa with him? Or would she go back to Mabe Village?

Before Link dove in, he realized there was a possibility Marin thought him dead. After all, were it not for his good fortune, he'd have drowned last night and never been heard from again. The thought occurred to him to rush back to Marin's side, just to assure her he was safe.

"No, I'm here now." He told himself, looking at the small pond he'd have to dive into. "If I get this instrument now, it's one less we have to find later."

With that sorted out in his head, Link adjusted his sword on his back. His shield was long gone, but that tool would only have slowed him down more right now. Link stepped into the pond, finding it to be much deeper than it appeared to be. After taking a few deep breaths, he held one in and dove under the surface.

Down a ways and through a chasm, Link swam as fast as he could without tiring himself out ahead of time. Within seconds he was back above water, finding himself in an empty chamber. Other than the pond where he came in from, there was only a door on the far opposite side. That, and a pile of bones in the center of the room. Link crawled out of the pond and let some of the excess water drain from his tunic.

Sword drawn, he slowly approached the pile of bones in the center of the room. As he suspected, the bones began to move, piecing together like a grand puzzle to recreate a skeleton armed with a sword and shield of its own. A Stalfos, a monster he was very familiar with.

"Outsider. You come to take the instrument from me." The Stalfos spoke.

Rather than attack first, Link lowered his sword. "Every monster I've fought has called me 'outsider'. Why?"

"You seek to wake the Wind Fish. We cannot allow you to do this." The Stalfos took a step forward.

"Who's 'we'?"

"Those who call the dream of the Wind Fish their home." Another step closer.

"Dream...?" Link raised his sword.

The Stalfos made the first strike. Link sidestepped the attack, and swung his sword. The Stalfos blocked the blow with his shield, and retaliated. Again Link dodged, much quicker on his feet without a shield of his own. This time he swung low, taking out one of the skeleton's legs. The monster came apart, only its upper torso still in form.

"What do you mean dream?" Link asked.

"The Wind Fish sleeps. It is only natural he dream."

The Stalfos swung at Link, but he blocked the blow with his own blade. A step to the right and Link swung again. This time, the rest of the Stalfos was scattered about the floor. Link reached down and picked up the shield. He walked over to the skull, which was still moving.

"Are you saying we're in a dream?"

"The dreamer does not know he is in a dream. To wake now would destroy everything." The Stalfos said.

"It's a trick. Monsters always lie; they're always after something."

"You're not as clever as you think, outsider."

Link spun around, finding the body of the Stalfos reformed and about to swing at him. He blocked the incoming blow with the shield, which shattered the old tool into pieces. The body walked forward and gathered the skull.

"If you wake the Wind Fish, the dream will end."

The Stalfos closed the distance, swinging about wildly. Link did his best to sidestep the blows, but now they were both on equal footing without shields. Within seconds Link was backed up against a wall, and the Stalfos moved to cut his head off. Link narrowly ducked out of the way, and rammed himself against the Stalfos. Again the monster was scattered to pieces throughout the room. Link picked up the skull and ran to the other side of the chamber.

"You're lying!" Link screamed at the skull.

"The dream will end. Make no mistake."

Enraged, Link smashed the skull against the wall. Once it was destroyed, the same cloud of black smoke escaped the rest of the bones and swirled around the room before dissipating into nothing. In Link's hands was a key that was lodged in the skull of the Stalfos.

With it, he opened the door in the chamber to find the Wind Marimba on the other side. As large as the cello, Link would have quite a bit of trouble carrying that instrument out of the cave. But he had no choice in the matter.

He couldn't accept what the monster had told him.

* * *

Once he was outside the Catfish's Maw, Link found himself looking directly at the owl once again. Link put the heavy instrument down and wiped his brow. It didn't help much considering his arms were just as wet as the rest of his body.

"Five instruments now. Soon the Wind Fish will awaken, and you may depart the island." The owl said.

"The monster that guarded this told me something. He said this was all just a dream. The dream of the Wind Fish."

Link saw as the owl did not flinch or react in any way to the claim. "Hoot... there is a shrine to the east. To enter, you'll need an ancient key found in the desert east of the Animal Village near here."

"Was the monster telling the truth?" Link insisted. The owl did not react.

"Find the key in the desert and visit the shrine. You will find another instrument there, and the answer you seek."

The owl took flight again, not giving Link a chance to ask anymore questions. Somehow, he had a feeling the Stalfos was being truthful. But until he saw with his own eyes, he couldn't believe it. To even think about it was to say everything on Koholint was an illusion. An elaborate lie.

And that included Marin.

Link looked to the east. It would be a difficult swim carrying the Wind Marimba, but he'd be able to reach the shore. And beyond there was the Animal Village. He could get some rest at last, and depart for Mabe Village the next day.


	10. Animal Village

Chapter X – Animal Village

* * *

Link placed the Wind Marimba down by the entrance to the Animal Village. True to its name, the only inhabitants were animals. When a few rabbits noticed his arrival, they hopped right over to the young man.

"Welcome stranger!" The first rabbit spoke. Link should have been surprised by this, but he honestly wasn't.

"Did you come from Mabe Village?" Another rabbit asked.

"Why are you all wet? Did you take a swim in the bay?" The third rabbit asked.

"I did, actually. Is there anywhere I can rest here?" Link asked instead.

"Sure! You can stay with the bear! He'll cook you up something nice!" The second rabbit answered.

"And about this instrument?" Link gestured to the Wind Marimba. The first rabbit jumped atop it.

"We'll take good care of it for you! It's an Instrument of the Sirens, isn't it?"

"You know about them?"

"Everyone knows about them!" One of the other rabbits answered.

"Do you know Marin of Mabe Village?"

Link nodded at whichever rabbit asked the question.

"She has one of the instruments, you know! The Surf Harp! Sometimes, she visits us here and plays her harp for us!"

"We could sure use Marin's music now!" Another rabbit added.

"Yes! There's a lazy walrus who's fallen ill and blocked the road to the desert!"

"If you know Marin, maybe you could go to Mabe Village for us and find her?" The rabbit atop the instrument asked.

"Sure, I'll find her for you. I just want to get a bit of rest first." Link nodded.

"Good! Follow us!"

Two of the rabbits lead the way to one of the larger houses in the village. Most were too small even for Link to fit inside, so to find a house big enough for him was a strange sight. Inside, Link saw a bear sporting a chef's tote slaving over a pot of stew.

"Hi ho! What've we here, furry friends?" The bear called out as soon as Link entered.

"A visitor!"

"He's come to rest!"

"Rest he can! Take a seat, friend!" The bear called out happily.

A bit cautious, Link sat down at the table nearby. The rabbits let themselves out of the house right away, leaving Link alone with the cooking bear.

"Would you like some?" He asked Link. Unsure what it was, but not wanting to seem rude, Link nodded.

"Yes please."

The bear produced a bowl and dipped it into the pot. Despite the mess he was trailing to the table, the bear laid the bowl down in front of Link. The aroma drifted up to Link's nose, but it wasn't particularly bad. In fact, it even smelled... delectable.

There was no silverware to be found, so Link picked the bowl up with his hands and put the rim to his lips. It was piping hot, but Link managed to sample the flavor. It was hard for him to pinpoint what was in it, but as the soup coursed through his body he felt more energized than he'd felt in weeks.

"This is amazing!" Link smiled, taking in more of the soup.

"You're too kind! Unfortunately, it's not enough for the poor walrus." The bear sighed.

"He must be really sick, then! I feel better than I've ever felt before after drinking this!" Link finished the rest of the bowl, almost wishing he could have more.

"He is. I'm missing an ingredient and this would bring back the dead even! But... it's not pineapple."

The bear walked back to the pot, showing Link the pineapple on the other table.

"I've already used five of these, but the soup's not strong enough!"

"How about honey?" Link asked. "My uncle said honey helped when he was sick."

The bear clapped his paws together. "Honey! Why didn't I think of that! But I can't leave my pot unattended to find any..."

"I can go," Link offered. "As thanks for the soup."

"Would you? We really need it for the walrus!"

"No problem! Do you know where I can find some?"

"The Ukuku Prairie! Not far from Kanalet Castle you'll find some trees. I usually see a lot of honeycombs there!"

Link rose from his chair, ready to be on his way.

"I'll be back as soon as I can!"

* * *

Fueled by the mystery ingredients in the bear's soup, Link found himself making record time across Martha's Bay to the Ukuku Prairie. On the far eastern side of the fields, he found the trees the bear had spoken of. But no matter how many trees he checked, there wasn't a single honeycomb in sight. So enthralled was he in his search, Link didn't notice the entire time he was being watched by someone.

"Why, if it isn't Link!" The voice belonged to none other than Tarin.

"Oh! I didn't see you there, sir."

"What's this 'sir' business? Just Tarin'll do." The older man was sprawled on the ground, clutching something in one hand. It was a honeycomb.

"Tarin, could I have that honeycomb?"

"This? Last one, son. Honey doesn't fill like the bananas Sale has, but it has to do. The blasted gator won't give me any!"

The gears in Link's head clicked together. "If I ask the alligator for some bananas, will you let me have the honeycomb?"

"Of course! All yours! Just hurry up, son. I'm mighty hungry."

"Just wait right here, and I'll be right back!"

* * *

Tarin had mentioned before that the alligator Sale lived on the Toronbo Shores, near where Link originally found his sword. In fact, he distinctly remembered seeing the hut on his first visit to the beach with Marin. It already seemed like so long ago. With blazing speed Link ran across the whole of the Ukuku Prairie and down to the beach. Sure enough, there was a hut surrounded by palm trees. Not a one of them had any bananas, though.

Inside, Link came face to face with an actual alligator. Though this one didn't look vicious at all, especially not sporting torn shorts and a straw hat. Odd sight though it was, the gator did not forget his manners.

"Welcome to Sale's House O' Bananas! How can I help you?"

"I need some bananas." Straight to the point.

"Well, I need something OTHER than bananas, boy." The gator cried. "I've been eating these things forever. I need meat, but I can't seem to get any."

Link knew where this was going. "If I get you some meat, would you give me a bunch of bananas?"

"I'll give you as many as you want!"

"I'll be back!" Link said as he ran out the door.

* * *

Link remembered that Marin and Tarin's neighbor, Madame MeowMeow, kept Chain Chomps for pets. These monsters, ferocious things that they were, had to be fed meat to be kept alive. And docile. So that was Link's next stop. Madame MeowMeow was quite surprised to see Link at her door.

"Link! Where have you been?" She asked immediately.

"It's a long story, but-"

"But nothing! Do you know how worried Marin has been about you? Cried her eyes out to me this morning! You should be ashamed of yourself!" The large woman scorned him.

"I'll run right over to her house, but I need your help first!"

"What is it, then?"

"I need meat. The kind you feed your Chain Chomps."

Madame MeowMeow looked at Link as though he were crazy. "Well, I won't ask why but... I can't give any of it up willy-nilly. I'll need something in return."

Link sighed. "What is it and where can I get one?"

"My precious Bow-Wow is in need of a new bow. If you can get me one, I'll gladly spare a can of food."

"I'll be back." Link moaned, before running off again.

This time, he made a stop by Marin's house, hoping to find her there. In her room, Link found the Sea Lily Bell, so she had been back at least. Back outside, he ran into one of the village children.

"Hey mister! You're Marin's boyfriend, right?"

Link scratched the back of his head. "Well... I guess?" He could feel himself blushing.

"Marin's not here. She's down by the beach. She likes to go there when she's sad."

"Thanks, kid. Listen, do you know where I can get a bow?" Link asked, figuring it better than nothing.

"Sure. Papahl's wife usually has a bunch. Ask her." The kid pointed to the house on the north side of the village.

"Thanks kid!" Link dashed off once more.

* * *

"A ribbon? Yes, I have quite a few." The new mother asked, cradling her baby in her arms.

"I need one. Is there anything I can give you for it?" Link wasted no time with pretense. This woman would want something in return as well.

"Well, I could use this new toy for my baby. There's one here in the village, at the town shop. I've been meaning to get it myself, but I never have the time. And I can't rely on Papahl for anything. You know that man got himself lost on Mount Tamaranch again?"

"Well, I don't have any rupees on me." Link hadn't seen a single rupee since arriving on the island. He assumed there was no need for money for a community this small.

"Don't you worry! Here, this is all you'll need to buy the doll. Thank you so much!"

The mother handed Link a pouch with some rupees, and off he was again. The store was just a skip away, and the doll was sitting there as the mother claimed. Link took it, paid the store owner, and rushed the doll back to her. The baby was absolutely ecstatic, giving the mother enough of a chance to find one of the bows to hand him.

"Thank you so much!"

* * *

From there, it was just a matter of retracing his steps.

Link took the bow back to Madame MeowMeow, who immediately slapped it onto one of the Chain Chomps. It did little to make the creature any prettier, but the woman was content. In return, Link got a can of food.

He rushed the food down to the Toronbo Shores, back to Sale the alligator. Rather than open it to take the meat out, he swallowed it can and all, remarking how delicious the meal was. For the trouble, Sale let Link have two bunches of bananas.

The sprint back across the Ukuku Prairie was hardest, especially now that the effects of the soup were wearing off. Still, Link arrived back at the spot where Tarin was sitting. The old man had fallen asleep, the honeycomb still tucked away under his arm. Never mind it had him all sticky, he took the bananas and started wolfing them down. Link took his promised reward and rushed back down to Martha's Bay and the Animal Village beyond it.

"What took you so long?" The chef bear asked the moment Link walked back in. Between gasps for breath, Link handed him the honeycomb.

"You have no idea what I had to do to get this."


	11. Toronbo Shores

Chapter XI – Toronbo Shores

* * *

The sun was beginning to set on Koholint Island. After all the running back and forth across the whole of the island, Link had returned to the beach where he first washed up. Before the chef bear back in the Animal Village added the honeycomb, he let the young man take another sip of the soup. It didn't have the same magical effect as the first time, but it was enough to get him all the way back across the Ukuku Prairie before nightfall.

According to the village kid he spoke to, Marin would spend hours down here on occasion. In the twilight of the evening, there was no one else around but Link and Marin somewhere out here. After a bit of searching, Link found her seated on a fallen palm tree by the water's surface. Music was coming from where she was seated, so she was playing an instrument of some kind.

But it wasn't her harp. In fact, Link recognized the sounds immediately. He approached the girl from behind, peeking over her shoulder. She was playing an ocarina, and not just any ocarina. It was his, the one he thought lost on the sea the night of the storm. Before long, Marin stopped playing the ocarina, and sensed Link's presence behind her. When she turned to see who it was, her eyes welled up immediately.

Expecting something else, Link was surprised when Marin's first reaction was to throw the ocarina at Link's face. Quick reflexes saved his eye from taking the brunt of the damage. Before he could ask what that was for, Marin had sprung from the fallen tree and was raining blows down on him with her bare fists.

All the while she was rambling about how worried she was, and why Link didn't show up sooner. Once she got it all out of her system, Marin let the tears flow freely again, burying her face in Link's chest. Her arms wrapped around his body, and she held him close. Link put his arms around her, too. After a few moments, Marin pulled away, wiping her eyes and trying her best to keep her blush in check.

"I'm sorry," she finally managed. "I didn't mean any of that."

"I know." Link chuckled. He reached down to pick up the ocarina. "Thank you for finding it."

"It was right here all along. I'm sorry I didn't bring you here before." Marin returned to the palm tree and took a seat. She offered the spot next to her, and Link sat down as well.

"Is this a special place for you? It was kinda hard to find."

Marin nodded. "Any time I feel sad or lonely, I come here. The waves are calm, and the breeze is always good."

"It's really nice here. And you can see the sun set, too."

"Yeah. I love it here. There's only one other place I like more."

"Where's that?" Link asked, curious.

Marin giggled. "It's a secret! Maybe one day I'll tell you."

Despite saying this, Marin looked up to her left. Link followed her gaze, and saw a house up on a cliff nearby.

"Is that it?"

"Maybe~!" Marin teased. "Remember that little house, okay? One day we can go there together."

A silence fell over them, and Link found himself looking at his ocarina. The Triforce engraving was still there, glistening in the sunset.

"You couldn't play the Conch Horn, but can you play that?" Marin asked him.

"I'm much better with this than the horn." Link put the ocarina to his lips and blew. His fingers moved over the instrument, altering the sounds it made to produce a melody familiar to him.

"That's nice! What's it called?"

"It doesn't have a name, actually. Zelda taught it to me."

Marin's smile seemed to fade from her face. "Zelda. You called her name out when you first woke up, you know."

"You sounded just like her." Link said in defense.

"Sounded? Has my voice changed since then?"

"No, but... you don't sound like Zelda to me anymore. I really don't remember what she sounds like. It's been so long since I heard her voice it seems."

"Who was she? You've never told me."

Link eyed Marin closely. "She was a princess. Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"Oh~! You were friends with the princess!" Marin was both amazed and slightly jealous. Jealous of both Link and Zelda.

"Not really. She called on me to help save Hyrule, and I did." Memories of Link's first adventure came rushing back.

"A hero, then."

"That's what they called me. I don't want to talk about it."

"You sound ashamed of it." Marin pointed out.

"It's hard to explain." Link sighed.

"Then don't! I don't like all that heavy talk anyway!"

A silence fell over them again. As the sun vanished from the horizon, Marin again was the one to break the silence.

"I wonder where these coconut trees come from, don't you?"

"I'm not sure...?" Link answered, unsure of the question itself. Marin paid his answer no mind.

"Father says there's nothing beyond the sea. That's what he always told me, especially after he gave up finding the instruments. But I always believed there was something out there."

Marin looked at Link. "And then you arrived, Link. When I found you, my heart skipped a beat! I thought, 'Finally! Proof there's something beyond the sea!'"

Link said nothing in response. Still Marin continued.

"That's why I want to make a wish to the Wind Fish. I want to be like a seagull, to fly anywhere I wanted. As far away from here as I could!" She looked at Link again.

"Do you think my dream will come true?"

"If you wish for it, yeah." Link smiled.

Marin's hand slowly fell on top of Link's. She looked deep into his eyes.

"I... I want to know everything about you, Link."

The moment lasted only for a few seconds, before Marin realized her hand was touching Link's. She immediately pulled away, laughing awkwardly and blushing furiously. As she played with her hair, Link remembered something else the chef bear had given him as thanks for the trouble he went through. Fortunately, the flower hadn't been damaged along the way.

"Marin, this is for you."

Link showed her the flower, a bright red hibiscus. Link inched closer to Marin, and reached out to brush her hair back behind her ear. Then he put the flower in place, holding the hair in check. Link backed away to get a better look at his handiwork.

"How's it look?" Marin asked, a bit nervous.

"Perfect. The perfect summer blossom."

Marin blushed again, and reached out to hold Link's hand. Once she had it, she inched closer to him until their shoulders touched.

"Do me a favor, Link? Stay with me a little while longer."

Marin rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and taking in the moment.

* * *

The following morning, Link and Marin departed the Toronbo Shores together. They ended up spending the night camped out on the beach, all the while holding one another's hand. It was the most peaceful either had been in a long time. But with the morning sun, they had to return to the quest of the instruments.

"If there's anywhere you want to take me, Link..." Marin shyly said once they'd started on their way. "I'm all yours until we reach the Animal Village."

There was a blush in her cheeks. However, Link couldn't think of anything to do with her aside from take her directly to the Animal Village. Until...

"How about we go to the village? Didn't you say there was a game shop there?"

"Yeah! A crane game! Let's go, Link!"

Marin dragged Link along by the hand, laughing all the way to Mabe Village. Once there, some of the village children took note of the couple, but Marin was far too happy to notice. It was Link this time who was caught blushing, especially when they ran by Madame MeowMeow. Soon enough, the couple arrived at the shop of the crane game, tucked away in a field in a corner of the village. It was an oddity in the village, to say the least.

"Welcome to the Trendy Game!" The owner called out once the two entered the door.

"Can I try first, Link? Please?" Marin asked, tugging on Link's arm like an energetic child.

"Sure. I'll play after." He smiled. The redhead cheered before paying the owner for the first game. It shamed Link a little to realize he had no actual money on him to treat Marin.

"These buttons here move the crane. The rest is up to you! Good luck!" The owner instructed, more out of habit than actual necessity.

"Okay! Let's see..."

Marin eyed the prizes available, wondering which to pick out and win. They were mostly island trinkets that had little value to her, so she was finding it difficult to decide. Then she eyed something amazing, something she had to try and have for herself. Her hands took to the machine, manipulating the claw until it dangled over the object in question. With a release of the main button, the claw dropped slowly to latch onto the prize.

Link was left in awe. The crane had landed on the owner's head, and was trying desperately to pull him up. After a short while, it gave up and returned to the starting position.

"You're pretty good, Marin. A pro at this, aren't you?" He told the girl flatly.

"You know it!" Marin smiled.

"Well, beat it! No pros allowed!" He barked, chasing the two out of the store.

Marin was laughing the entire way out of the store, and even Link found himself joining her. For a while there, he expected Marin to go for one of the pressed flower accessories. He mentioned this to her, only to have her reply:

"Why do I need a pressed flower? I have the real thing right here!"

Sadly, with the Trendy Game out of the question, there really wasn't much else the two could indulge in anymore. Seeing this, Link started back across the Ukuku Prairie with Marin in tow. At the very least, they could talk a bit more along the way.

"So, only four more instruments to go!" Marin commented at one point.

"Actually three! I found the Wind Marimba after I washed up in Martha's Bay. I left it in the Animal Village with some rabbits." Link explained.

"The rabbits are good friends of mine! I'm sure they'll take good care of it, and even help carry back to my house when we leave! So why are we going to the Animal Village?"

"There's a desert past it, right?" Link asked, confirming the owl's claim.

Marin nodded. "Yeah! Yarna Desert. It's always hot, especially now in the middle of summer. But I don't think it'll be worse than the swamp!"

"I hope not." Link sighed. If he were to remain on Koholint for whatever reason, the heat was one thing he wouldn't get used to.

"Is there another instrument in the desert?" Marin asked.

"A key. There's some kind of a shrine north of the bay, right?"

Marin ran ahead of Link and stopped him. "Fess up! How do you know these things if you're not from here?"

"W-Well I-"

Marin raised her finger to the young man. "No lies, okay! You know you're not supposed to lie when you're on a date!"

Link felt his cheeks burn up a little. He had never been one to lie his way out of anything, so he'd have no choice but to mention the owl. And so he did, explaining how the bird had guided him from one instrument to the next all this time.

And surprisingly, Marin didn't find it strange at all. After he finished explaining, Marin smiled at him.

"See? That wasn't so bad!"

"Don't you find it strange?" He asked. She shook her head, though.

"Animals around the island can talk, you know. Not all of them, but most! A talking owl isn't that strange."

"But what about all the things he knows about the instruments?"

Marin put her finger to her chin. "That part is strange... but who cares? It's thanks to him we're more than half way done with our quest, right?" She grinned.

She was right about that. But something still nagged at Link. It was the claim of the Stalfos he fought in Catfish's Maw, and what the owl said. The shrine would have the answer, and that was his next stop. Learning the truth scared him, but he dared not mention this to the young girl in front of him.

"Something wrong?"

"No. Let's go!" He said, putting on his best smile. If it was all a lie, he'd rather not worry her. One way or another.


	12. Yarna Desert

Chapter XII – Yarna Desert

* * *

"Everyone! It's Marin!" One of the rabbits called out as soon as they were spotted entering the village.

"Marin! Marin is here!"

"Hurry!"

Within minutes, the two were surrounded by a menagerie of animals. All of them hounded Marin, desperate to get her attention for more than a few seconds. Link found himself getting pushed out of the picture, until the mass of animals had guided the redheaded beauty to the center of the village.

"Sing us a song!"

"Play us something on your harp!"

"Anything! Please?"

Marin raised her hands, hoping to calm down all the animals. Sure enough, within seconds they were silent. "I'm sorry, but I didn't visit to sing or play."

There was a collective gasp and aww from the crowd, followed immediately by a barrage of questions as to why. It took her a bit longer to calm all the animals down again, but once she did, Marin continued.

"I'm here to accompany Link to the Yarna Desert." She signaled the young man in green. The animals all looked at him briefly, before turning their attention back to Marin.

"It's too dangerous!" One of the rabbits called out.

"Yeah! You'll get hurt if you go!"

"Let him go alone!"

"He looks tough!"

Once most of the animals had said their piece, Marin spoke again. "We're working together as a team. I have to go with him."

"It's okay!" Link interrupted, drawing the crowd's gaze. "I can visit the desert alone."

"Link?" Marin was shocked.

"They really want to hear you sing! I'll be back before you know it!"

Marin knew he was doing it on purpose. It would take her a while to convince the animals to let her go, so this way Link would get the key he needed quicker. But rather than fight him on this, she resigned herself to the animals. As much as she wanted to accompany him, she also didn't want to be a burden or visit the hot desert anyway.

"Alright. I'll be waiting here, okay?" Marin told him.

"I'll be back soon! You guys take care of Marin for me, okay?"

Several of the animals agreed, a few even throwing snide remarks at the young man. Still, he ignored them and was on his way. By now the path to the desert was unblocked, thanks to Link's efforts with the honeycomb the previous day. It was only a matter of finding the key in the middle of the desert.

* * *

The sun pounded any who would tread the desert with strong rays. It seemed as though the sand intensified the heat, and Link found himself wiping the sweat from his brow several times per minute. Toting around his sword only made things harder for him. Still he pushed on, thankful Marin was spared this torture.

"She'd probably want to take her dress off to stay cool." Link laughed to himself. Though the sight of Marin like that was enough to fuel the young adventurer to press onward.

The only other things Link could find at first in the sand were cacti and bones. But these weren't human or animal bones; these belonged to creatures much larger. Upon inspecting one, Link realized what kind of monster called this desert his home.

"Lanmolas." He whispered.

As if to confirm his suspicion, one of the monsters emerged from the sand nearby. The large worm leapt out from the sand and dove back in, acting as though it was an ocean. Link drew his sword, taking a wild guess the monster would have the key he was looking for.

At that moment, Link felt his feet sink into the sand below. Trapped up to his waist in the sand, Link dropped his sword in the process and was left utterly defenseless. Ahead of him, he saw two Leevers emerge from the sand, darting for him with teeth bared. Link reached for his sword, but was unable to reach it before the Leevers were upon him.

Link shielded his head with his arms, but an explosion of sand occurred before the Leevers could attack him. Once the sand had settled, he was staring directly at the body of the Lanmolas as it devoured the smaller monsters right out of the air. Link reached out again for his sword, grabbing it this time and plunging it into the body of the nearby monster. The Lanmolas cried out and shot up into the air, dragging Link out of the sand with it.

When the worm dove back into the ocean of sand, Link was left sprawled on the surface. He got back to his feet and prepared himself, knowing the Lanmolas would burst from the ground again at any moment. In a moment of brilliance, Link dropped his sword on the ground and stood on top of the blade. Seconds later, the Lanmolas emerged again from directly underneath him. Link was saved by his sword, which forced open the Lanmolas' mouth. Link dropped off to a side of the monster's mouth, prying his sword from the gap and plunging it into the monster's eye. The creature thrashed about, sending Link flying across the desert. But the deed was done, and it fell to the ground shortly thereafter.

After he'd composed himself, Link walked over to the corpse of the monster and poked at it with his sword, just to be certain it was dead. With a sigh of relief, Link started searching the monster's head and mouth for the key. Not long after, he found the item lodged between two of the creature's teeth.

When he looked up, Link noticed the owl was perched atop a cactus nearby.

"You again." He sighed.

"There are two shrines north of here. One is a fake, and one is real. You must discern which is which if you wish to learn the truth of Koholint Island."

That was all the owl had to say this time. He spread his wings and flew north. No doubt he'd visit Link again after he'd discovered the secret of the island. Though deep down, Link was already suspecting the words of the Stalfos were true. Much as he didn't want to admit it.

* * *

Once Link had returned to the Animal Village, he found most of the animals entranced by Marin's favorite song being played on the harp. A few of them had even fallen asleep nearby. The entire time she played, the Surf Harp was glowing softly. In a way, the sight reminded Link of another talented singer and harpist. Not long before arriving on Koholint, Link had worked to rescue her from the clutches of an evil sorceress.

When Marin had finished playing, she saw Link standing among the animals. "Ah! You're back!"

Those animals that had fallen asleep woke, and all of them turned towards Link with hatred in their eyes. It was almost enough to send the young man running in terror.

"Y-You can stay a bit longer, if you want." He said, hoping to quell the animals' anger.

"Nope! I'm going with you this time! I'm sorry, everyone!"

The animals tried pleading with Marin, asking her to at least stay the night in the village. Though tempting, there was still enough time in the day for the two to travel to the shrine in the north and come back. Choosing to take advantage of the day, Marin denied their offers and ran to Link's side.

Together, they rushed out of the village, asking the rabbits on the way out to carry the Wind Marimba back to Mabe Village as a favor to Marin. Once they were clear of the town, Marin let out a soft giggle.

"Everyone loves my music, don't they?"

"It's like magic, really." Link told her. The girl smiled, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"If there is magic, it's all because of the harp. Not a drop of magic in me!"

And really, that's all Link wanted of Marin. To be a normal person, and nothing else. In his heart, she was already special and magical.


	13. Face Shrine

Chapter XIII – Face Shrine

* * *

There was a path that lead north from the Animal Village and around a plateau high above the village. Link and Marin followed the path around, climbing a little bit higher with each step until at last they were on the same level as the plateau. From there, they could see the river and Martha's Bay. They could also see the second shrine, although that one was much smaller and looked to be in far worse condition. Beyond that was Kanalet Castle, towering over much of the island aside from the Tal Tal Mountains and Mount Tamaranch.

"Father called it the Face Shrine," Marin explained, looking down at the maze before them. The path to the shrine they were to visit was on a slightly lower elevation, giving them a clear view of the area.

"Why are there two of them?"

Marin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Father did visit this one."

"What did he find?" If they could be spared the trouble of going through the maze to get there, Link would welcome anything Tarin had to say.

"Umm... nothing?" Marin didn't sound so sure of the answer, almost as if she was hiding something. Link noticed, but didn't say anything.

"Well, looks like we'll have to see for ourselves. Come on."

This time he took point, sword drawn and at the ready. The maze that was supposed to act as the first line of defense for the shrine was mostly worn away by time. Pillars around them that still stood were a rarity, most of them reduced to piles of rubble. Among the rubble were also the remnants of suits of armor and weapons. Upon closer inspection of some, Link sighed.

"What's wrong?" Marin asked.

"Armos Knights. Let's hope they're all broken like this one. In case you see one that isn't broken, don't touch it, okay?"

Marin nodded, and continued after Link. Armos Knights were magically animated suits of armor, a powerful and common enemy of his in previous adventures. They weren't the worst he'd faced in terms of armored foes, but their sheer numbers made them a nuisance he'd rather not suffer now.

Quietly the two adventurers crawled through the dilapidated maze. They did run into a few suits of armor that weren't damaged at all, but Marin stayed close enough to Link to avoid accidentally bumping into any of them. Without his shield, Link would have a hard time fighting any of these monsters and protecting Marin at the same time.

Through good fortune they arrived at the entrance to the shrine. Standing guard were two more perfectly preserved Armos Knights, but the entrance was completely unobstructed by them. So long as they went in one after another, the wouldn't have to rouse the golems from their sleep.

"Should I stay here?" Marin asked before Link entered the shrine.

"What? I thought you wanted to explore it with me?"

Marin shook her head, looking past him and to the entrance. "I don't like this place. Something about it is... wrong."

Link looked to the walls of the shrine. Built into them were statues, and on each an identical face. Each of these faces had a blank grin, something that would haunt nightmares for days or weeks to follow.

"If you want to wait out here, you can." Link told his companion. "Might even be better if there's trouble inside."

"Then I'll stay. I... I don't want to go in there." Marin took a step back. Something had her truly spooked.

"Alright, just wait right over there." Link pointed out a corner of the immediate area where Marin could sit and rest.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

The redhead nodded, choosing to wait until Link was inside the shrine proper before moving to her spot. She looked upon the many faces decorating the shrine. This wasn't the first time she'd seen them, but it was the first time she'd been warned against touching the Armos Knights.

Inside, Link found himself in a large chamber with nothing else. Torches lined the walls of the shrine, but they were so high up Link had no way of actually reaching one to light. Using the dimming light from outside the shrine, he saw something on the far side of the chamber. It was a mural, but the only thing he could make out on it was the engraving of a large whale. He needed a source of light to be able to see the rest of the mural.

Link looked all over the chamber, trying to find something he could use to give himself a boost and reach one of the torches. After everything else failed, him, he resigned to calling on Marin for help.

Back outside, Marin watched the entrance to the shrine closely. When Link emerged not fifteen minutes later, she rushed to his side.

"Did you find anything?" She asked.

"There's some kind of mural, but I can't read it. I could use your help."

Marin's face went pale. "You want me to go inside?"

"There's nothing in there, I already checked. But I need your help if I want to read the mural. Please?"

Link's pleading was enough to convince Marin, which made the youth question why she seemed so afraid of the shrine in the first place. Still, not wanting to waste what little sunlight they had left, Link ducked back into the shrine, and Marin followed after. Once inside, Link picked one of the torches along the wall and helped boost Marin up to it. She removed it from the socket on the wall, and brought it down to Link. With a bit of improvisation, Link managed to light the torch.

"Come over here so I can read the mural." Link said, walking over to the other side of the shrine. Reluctantly, Marin followed.

Now under better lighting, Link could see the whole image. A large whale made up most of the engraving, but there were also words etched into the stone. To Link's amazement, they were the common tongue, and easily decipherable.

"Hold this, Marin." Link handed her the torch, and kneeled down to wipe the layers of dust from the mural. The girl did as she was asked, but her heart was racing the entire time.

"It says something here. Listen: 'To the finder, the isle of Koholint is but an illusion'." Link blinked a few times before rereading the text a second time.

"Link, I think we should go..." Marin said, trembling behind him. Ignoring her, Link wiped off more dust and continued to read.

"'Human, monster, sea, sky; a scene on the lid of a sleeper's eye. Awake the dreamer, Koholint will vanish, much like a bubble on a needle.' What is this...?"

"Link, please. Let's just go!" Marin screamed, her voice echoing throughout the chamber. He turned to her, seeing tears in her eyes. Had she known all along?

Link turned back to the mural, seeing one last part of the stone covered in dust. He wiped it away, finding another image, this time of a bird. More precisely, it was an owl. Scrawled underneath the owl were more words.

"'Cast-away, you should know the truth.' The Stalfos was right."

"Of course he was right!" A third voice echoed throughout the chamber. Marin screamed and rushed to a corner, while Link readied his sword for battle.

"Who are you?!"

"I am called Facade. I am master of the Face Shrine!"

The remaining torches lining the chamber became illuminated magically, shedding light on the whole shrine. Lining the walls were the same blank faces from the outside. All of them staring down at Link and Marin.

"You're one of these faces, aren't you?" Link's eyes scanned each face one by one, hoping to pinpoint the monster.

"Clever outsider! But you'll never guess which one is the real me!"

"I've beaten a few of your friends already. You all say the same things before I win!"

"The others are fools for trying to stop you with brute force. I offer you an alternative." The voice echoed.

"What are you talking about?"

"The chance to save the island! You read the mural: if the Wind Fish wakes up, everything here will disappear. And I do mean EVERYTHING."

"If we wake him, he can grant us a wish." Link spat back, still trying to find which of the faces was the real one.

"And who told you that? The girl?"

Link turned to Marin briefly, who was huddled in a corner, petrified.

"She's as selfish as you! She doesn't care if the island vanishes, she just wants to escape by any means necessary. Why should we all suffer because she doesn't like it here?"

"If she wants to leave, she has every right to! What if I want to leave?" Link spat back.

"Ask yourself, outsider: how many people want to leave Koholint? You don't belong here, so it's only natural. But everyone else is happy here. It's the girl who's out to ruin everything for everyone. We monsters only want to keep things the way they are. It's why we've tried to stop you from gathering the instruments."

Link looked at Marin again. She had asked that they keep the instruments a secret from everyone, especially Tarin. Had he also spoken with Facade? Is that why she was scared of visiting the shrine in the first place?

"Here's a proposition: you remain on Koholint Island, settle down with the girl and live out your days quietly. You promise not to gather any more instruments, and we won't bother you. It's what you really want, isn't it? To be with the one you love?"

Link's heart skipped a beat. For the first time, he lowered his sword, and looked to Marin. The girl's face was flushed, but still panicked. He had thought of the possibility for some time now. Would it really be so wrong?

"What do you say, outsider? Or would you prefer it if I called you by your name? Once you become a resident of the island, that's possible. Isn't that right, Marin?"

"No!" She cried out, throwing the torch to the ground. "Don't listen to him, Link!"

"Just say the word, outsider. And you can stay here until the end of your days with the girl you love."

Link looked down at his feet. It was the first time he noticed the same face drawn on the floor. Tightening his grip on his sword, Link turned away from Marin.

"We'll find another way." He said, before he took his sword in both hands and plunged it into the ground.

The face drawn on the floor came to life, writhing in pain for a moment until out from all around them the same dark smoke escaped out the shrine entrance and into the sky. Link pulled his sword out from the ground, finding a keyhole instead of a slit. He fished the key from his pocket and opened a small cache in the floor. Inside was another of the instruments, the Coral Triangle.

"I'm sorry, Link. I'm so sorry!"

Marin ran out the shrine, but the young man did not chase after her. He needed a moment to himself to think things over.

Outside, the sun had set completely and the stars were visible in the sky. As usual, perched nearby was the owl. Link showed the bird his latest spoil.

"Now you know the truth, lad." The bird said with a solemn hoot.

"Marin knew, didn't she? All this time?"

The owl nodded. "Marin has always been a part of the dream. However, she is unique."

"What do you mean?"

"There was one other outsider before you. He arrived many years ago, and also sought the instruments to wake the Wind Fish. He had just begun his quest when he arrived here. They convinced him to stay."

Link lowered his head. "Tarin."

The owl nodded. "He wanted a family of his own more than anything. Dethl granted his wish, and overnight Tarin became the father of a baby girl."

"Dethl?" Link asked.

"The source of all nightmares. It found refuge within the dreamer, and feeds off him. Koholint is a land between dream and reality, so it can be altered as needed. Tarin wanted a family, and he was given one in exchange for his desire to leave."

"That's how she knew. Marin knew because she was born always knowing her father abandoned his quest." Link buried his face in his palms.

"She can never leave the island. Tarin cannot leave either, now part of the dream. There is still hope for you, hero."

"Is there any way to save the island? To save Marin?" Link asked. If Facade was right about something, it was his feelings for Marin.

"You cannot save what never existed." The owl stretched its wings, ready to take flight.

"What about the wish? Can I make a wish like Marin said?"

"The Wind Fish is an ancient being. A wish may be possible. North, hero. You must retrieve the next instrument from a tower. To hasten your step, I will take you there."

Link nodded, letting the owl clutch onto his shoulders. Despite being a small animal, it was able to lift the young man clear into the air. North it flew through the dark sky. All the while, Link thought about Marin. There was one place he was certain she'd have run off to.


	14. Tal Tal Mountains

Chapter XIV – Eagle's Tower

* * *

Far to the north, somewhere atop the highest of the Tal Tal Mountains was a tower. Reaching up higher than even the Wind Fish's Egg atop Mount Tamaranch, this structure stood watch over all of Koholint Island. Jutting out from the tower was a balcony, where the owl released Link before perching nearby. It was only a short way up to reach the summit.

"Why did you leave me here?" Link asked. It wouldn't have been much higher to reach the top of the tower.

"One of Dethl's minions guards the next instrument. You must face this nightmare on your own. Once you are successful, I will assist you again."

Link chuckled, looking up at the top of the tower from his position. "Alright. Nice of you to bring me all this way. I'll take it from here."

"Inside you will find a tool to aid you. Do not proceed without it." The owl warned. With a nod, Link wandered into the Eagle's Tower.

This place was nothing like the previous hiding places of the instruments. Inside, Link could hear the whispers of dozens of monsters as they worked together to keep anyone from reaching the top of the tower and stealing the instrument. Sword drawn, Link marched forward. As he turned a corner, a melody filled the corridor. Surprised by the music, he stepped out from behind cover and looked for the source of the sounds. Sitting beside a pillar, what looked like a small boy with a skull mask played a flute. Forgetting caution, Link approached him.

The skull-faced boy turned to him, and started playing a different melody on his flute. All around them, Link could hear the cries of bats, and was immediately swarmed by the tiny monsters. As he tried to fight them off, the skull-faced boy climbed up the pillar to safety. Link finally got a grip on his sword and swung above him, taking out most of the bats in a single swing. From up above, the skull-faced boy hissed at him before vanishing beyond the ceiling. From there, Link could see that the pillar lead directly to the top of the tower.

"The owl said to find something before I went up there. What could it be?" He said to himself.

The sound of the monsters in tower seemed to grow louder, probably alerted by the noise Link made fighting off the bats. He ran past the pillar, hoping to find whatever the owl had spoken of, but saw only his reflection in a mirror.

"That's it!" He exclaimed, reaching out to pry the mirror from the wall. It didn't take much effort, and the mirror was quickly fashioned into a shield. In his first adventure, Link had acquired a similar tool which served him well.

His new Mirror Shield in tow, Link sheathed his sword and took to climbing the pillar in the middle of the corridor. As he reached the top, he could hear the horde of monsters swarm the hallway below.

Once he was up top, Link could feel the strong breeze coming in from the ocean. It was the middle of the night now, but he could see most of the island down below. The Animal Village was easily spotted, and west of it Mabe Village. His attention then turned to the ocean. No matter how far out he could see, there was nothing else in sight on the horizon. Further proof Koholint was isolated from the real world.

The melody from the flute filled the air again. Link drew his sword and shield, seeing the boy with the skull-mask standing there. From behind the boy, he could feel an even stronger gust blowing in. When the music stopped, the boy raised the mask. Two glowing beady eyes looked back at Link.

"You won't wake the Wind Fish. I'll make you wish you were never born!"

Mask back on, the boy jumped backward off the tower. Link gasped, but immediately the boy rose again on the back of a great eagle. With another toot of his flute, the eagle swooped down on Link, its massive talons extended and sharp. Link deflected the attack with his shield, though the defensive tool took a beating in the process. It wouldn't take more than a few more strikes of the same magnitude to shatter the fragile shield. With another toot of the flute, the eagle swung back around and made another pass at Link.

The shield wasn't meant to hold the eagle off, which made him question why the owl made it a point to have Link find it. The sound of the flute signaled another strike, which is when it finally hit Link. This time, he rolled out of the eagle's way, and in that moment he pulled out his own ocarina.

Link played a few notes of the Ballad of the Wind Fish on it, which caused the eagle to jerk about for a moment. The boy on its back played some notes of his own, but now it had to contend with the melody coming from Link on the tower. The eagle remained adrift in the air, unable to concentrate on either of the two melodies. In the middle of Link's ballad, the Coral Triangle still in his pocket began to glow and produce sounds of its own in sync with his ocarina. As the eagle started to pay more attention to Link's music, the boy on its back gave up entirely. He leapt off the massive bird and landed back on the tower.

"I will never let you play the instruments!" He cried out in anger.

Link watched as the boy was engulfed in the same dark cloud that always escaped defeated monsters. Moments later, a hand made of flames latched onto the edge of the tower's surface, followed by another. The clouds cleared to reveal a face made entirely of flames. In a way, it resembled Facade.

"I am Hot Head, greatest minion of Dethl. You will die here, outsider!"

The monster opened its mouth, releasing a blast of flames at Link. Hidden behind the Mirror Shield, Link was spared from the attack. Hot Head took another deep breath, and again sprayed Link with flames. The shield was holding up well against the barrage, but he could already feel the glass overheating. He had to find a way to take out the monster immediately. Once this latest attack had ended, Link looked over at the monster. Still flying around the tower was the eagle. Link ducked behind the shield again, and took hold of the ocarina. He played the ballad once more, signaling the eagle to come to his aid.

The massive bird swooped down on Hot Head, flapping its wings at the ball of fire. Bit by bit the flames were blown away to the winds, leaving behind only a mask in the shape of Facade. Link played another few notes of the ballad, keeping the eagle in place and Hot Head trapped. Dropping the shield, Link darted forward with his sword, and in one true strike cleaved the mask in two down the middle.

A great scream pierced the sky, followed by an explosion of dark clouds than immediately vanished into the night sky. When all was settled, Link found another instrument where Hot Head was defeated. It was a drum.

"Hoot! Good work, hero!" The owl called out, landing nearby. "The instruments are finally united!"

"What do you mean? We're missing one." Link told him. At that moment, the eagle touched down on the tower, and fished something out from under a wing. It placed the much larger instrument down next to the drum.

"The Organ of Evening Calm, and the Thunder Drum. The instruments are complete. You may now wake the Wind Fish."

Link looked at the last two magical objects. He'd have to make a choice soon enough.

"Can we wait? I want to think about it for a while."

The owl looked at the young man curiously. Still, it nodded. "I will have the instruments taken to Mount Tamaranch. You may go when you're ready."

"And can I borrow the eagle? I really don't want to climb all the way down to the village myself." Link chuckled nervously.


	15. House By The Bay

Chapter XV – House By The Bay

* * *

The morning sun roused Link from his slumber. He stretched out before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It had been a difficult night, and he hadn't gotten nearly enough rest. After parting ways with the owl, he had the eagle fly him down to the Toronbo Shores. He figured he'd find Marin down by her favorite spot on the beach, but she wasn't there. Too tired to keep up the search, Link chose to sleep there again that night.

Now that it was morning, he had to find the girl. He had to talk with her about the Wind Fish now that all the instruments had been collected. If she wasn't on the beach, there was only one other place she could be. Link looked up at the cliff nearby, spotting the old house Marin mentioned the day of their date. That's where she was sure to be.

There was a path from the shores up to the house. Like the road that lead him to the Tail Cave so long ago, it was obscured by trees and bushes. But with a bit of effort and a few good sword swings, Link arrived at the house. It was far older than the rest of the houses he'd seen on the island, even Kanalet Castle. The door was unlocked, so he turned the knob and let himself inside.

It was dark inside the house, but there wasn't as much dust as Link expected. The reason for this was Marin, who was sitting at the table inside. Other than the table and a couple chairs, there was a single bed inside the house. The redhead looked over at Link standing in the doorway.

"Finally found you," he said, smiling. Marin looked away from him.

"I'm sorry I ran away." She said.

"It's okay, it worked out in the end. We have them all."

Marin looked over at Link again. "You mean...?"

He nodded. A smile returned to the girl's face. She rose from her seat, and walked over to the only window in the house. With renewed fervor, she swung open the window, letting in the morning sunlight. Now, Link could see her face clearly.

"So all that's left now is to wake the Wind Fish!" Marin said.

Link walked over to the table and took a seat. "I wanted to talk to you about that first."

"About yesterday?"

Link nodded. "It's a start."

"When I was born... well, that's not right." Marin twiddled her fingers, unsure how to begin. After a moment, she began anew.

"I don't have a mother. Not because she died, but because I was born without a mother. When Father decided to stay on Koholint, I was like the payment. I just popped up one day and he was my father. That's all I ever knew. When I was old enough, Father gave me the Surf Harp, which was the only instrument he was able to collect before he gave up. As I grew up, I learned about the legend of the Wind Fish. When I told him about it, he warned me never to talk about it again."

"Because you were his reason for staying." Link added.

"Yeah. But I always knew. Deep down, I always knew the island was an illusion. But I couldn't do anything on my own, and Father would never help. But when you showed up... I knew you were the one who was going to help me escape the island." Marin smiled.

"But the owl said-"

"What he said doesn't matter!" Marin snapped back. "How does he know what the Wind Fish can and can't do? If we both go to him, maybe he'll grant our wishes. We have to try, don't we?"

"Or we can stay here." Link suggested. Marin looked across the table to him.

"You can't stay here, Link." Her eyes were welling up.

"Why not?"

"It's not fair to you. You told me you had family in Hyrule. How could you stay here, and never see them again?"

"I'd miss them. Of course I would. But I can't leave you behind, Marin."

Marin's eyes were glassed over, tears threatening to escape.

"I won't leave you here. You mean more to me than anything else."

A tear fell down her cheek. Her hands moved up to cover her mouth.

"We'll go to the Wind Fish together, if that's what you really want. We'll both make a wish, and we'll see what happens. But if you don't want to risk it, I'll stay. I don't mind living on Koholint Island if it means I get to be with you."

Link's words echoed in Marin's ears. Tears flowed freely now down her face, and she was unable to contain them. She felt the same way; some time ago her one desire had changed from leaving Koholint to remaining by Link's side no matter what. Up until the Face Shrine, she'd assumed she still had plenty of time to spend with him. Now the moment was upon them.

Marin composed herself, wiping the tears from her face and taking in a few deep breaths. She reached for the flower in her hair, the same one Link had placed there the other day. Already it was starting to wilt. She placed the flower on the table.

"We'll wake the Wind Fish." She finally said.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I trust you, Link. You'll make the right wish."

"What do you mean...? Aren't we going together?"

"You know we're not," she laughed. "It's too dangerous for me. But nothing's too dangerous for you. You're a hero. You're my hero."

The tables were turned. The fate of Marin, of all Koholint Island, was now in his hands. Link rose from his seat, and offered his hand to Marin.

"Come with me." He told her. Marin took his hand and followed him out of the house.

Together they walked over to the cliffside. The wind blew in from the sea, a warm breeze that cooled them off all the same.

"This isn't such a bad place to live, right?" Link said, looking out on the ocean.

"It's perfect. I'm sure the previous owner won't mind if we keep it." Marin realized what she just said, causing her to blush a little. But one look at Link, and the blush became a happy glow.

"I know what I'll wish for. Let's go wake the Wind Fish."

Hand in hand, Link and Marin set off for Mount Tamaranch.


	16. Mount Tamaranch

Chapter XVI – Mount Tamaranch

* * *

The steps leading up to the Wind Fish's Egg reminded Link of a few instances in his previous adventures. With each step, he would feel the weight of the impending event on his shoulders. Each time, it was to save a land or kingdom. Whether he knew it intimately or not, Link never backed away from the challenge. That's what it meant to be courageous. That's what it meant to be the bearer of the Triforce of Courage.

Now, he climbed the steps of Mount Tamaranch. At his side was Marin, a resident of the island he'd come to care for deeply. He would not let her vanish with the rest of the island, even if it was all a dream. He would implore the dreamer to save the island and its inhabitants.

"This is it." Marin stroked the egg. It stood towering over them, ten times their size.

"So how do we do this?" Link asked, taking his ocarina out of his pocket.

"Play the Ballad of the Wind Fish." The owl said, showing up one final time.

"The owl! This is the one you were talking about?" Marin asked, hiding behind Link all the same.

"Hoot. With Marin here, the Instruments of the Sirens are complete. When you play the Ballad of the Wind Fish, the instruments will play with you. Together, the melody will wake the Wind Fish, and your dream will finally come true."

"What are you, owl? You've been helping me since the beginning." Link asked, finally having a chance to talk about something other than collecting the instruments.

"I am the Wind Fish. A spirit made to guard Koholint Island from the nightmares. When Dethl took hold of the Wind Fish in his slumber, I was forced into hiding. Only when a lad courageous enough to face the nightmares appeared could I help. I am glad you have made it this far."

"You're the Wind Fish?!" Marin's mouth was agape.

"My work is done. The Wind Fish will wake soon. Good-bye, young hero!"

For the final time, the owl took flight, this time directly up into the sky. Marin and Link watched as he flew towards the sun, vanishing at some point along the way. Left all around them were the instruments, organized and ready to be used. Marin took the Surf Harp from her satchel, and Link his ocarina.

"Go on, Link," Marin said, her hands ready to play alongside him. "You start."

The young man took a few breaths before he put the blue instrument to his lips. And so he started playing, followed immediately by Marin on the harp. One by one the instruments joined in on their own, glowing as they added to the melody. Once all eight were playing, as well as Link's own ocarina, music filled the air all around Mount Tamaranch. As the song came to an end, the massive egg before them stirred. Still they kept playing, until at last a crack appeared on the shell before them.

Bit by bit, this crack grew, until it was as tall as Link. Then the crack split sideways, trailing down until it made the shape of a door on the side of the egg. The shell crumbled into dust, revealing a pass into the egg itself.

"I thought the whole egg would hatch?" Link asked Marin.

"Me too... maybe the Wind Fish is inside?"

"Do you want to come with me?" Link asked one last time, offering the girl his hand. Marin didn't take it.

"You go. I'll wait here."

That was all she said about the matter. Link would be on his own, and the fate of the island was now up to him. The young man put the ocarina in his pocket, and entered the Wind Fish's Egg.

* * *

Inside it was pitch black.

There was no light from outside the egg, and no means of escape. As soon as Link had entered the egg, the way out had vanished. All he could do now was wander aimlessly through the dark. After a time, his eyes became adjusted to the lack of light, and he could make out bits and pieces of his surroundings. There wasn't much to make out, however. It was a series of long, featureless corridors.

In fact, it reminded him of his first dream while on Koholint Island. Surrounded on all sides by monsters, Link was unable to escape his fate. Until the voice of someone brought him back to the light. Marin's voice.

Link reached into his pocket for the ocarina. He brought it to his lips, and began to play the Ballad of the Wind Fish. Figuring it was as close to Marin's voice he could get, he let the melody fill the halls around him.

Then, everything was illuminated. Again trapped in a featureless room, with no exit in sight. The only noteworthy thing was a marking on the floor beneath his feet. It was a whale, similar to the one he'd seen at the Face Shrine. There was a dead silence all around him, until at last a voice began to echo in the chamber.

"We are born of nightmares..."

Link drew his sword.

"If the Wind Fish doesn't wake, the island will never disappear..."

He took a few steps back, keeping his eyes open for any sign of movement.

"But you had to disrupt our plans. You will perish, outsider!"

Link's eyes turned upward, seeing a black mass falling down. He dove forward, dodging the mass. When it landed, it erupted into a mass of dark clouds. When it reformed, it took on the shape of a Moldorm. Where there were supposed to be eyes, there were only blank circles. The nightmare lurched forward, snapping at Link with its mandibles.

Backed against a wall, Link sidestepped the monster when it moved in for another strike, buying himself enough time to run around behind the monster. With a swing of his sword, he struck at the monster's tail. Just as easily as the real thing, this Moldorm fell. Rather than explode into a cloud of smoke, it compressed into a smaller blob, taking a new form right away. This time, it was the shadow of a foe from Link's distant past.

The nightmare took on the form of the wizard Agahnim, the evil mastermind behind the entire plot to take over Hyrule. Holding its hands out, a glowing ball of magical energy began to form. It was thanks to the Master Sword that Link was able to defeat the real Agahnim in the past. Though he didn't have the Master Sword now, he was certain a swing of his sword would be just as effective against a fake.

The shadow released the projectile, and Link swung his sword to send it flying right back. The attack crashed against the shadow, causing to the disperse into dark clouds. The clouds regrouped once more, this time taking on the form of something much more fierce. Towering over Link stood the shadow of his greatest adversary; the King of Evil – Ganon. In hand this fake forged a staff similar to the one the real Ganon used to fight Link before.

The magic of the Silver Arrows was the only means of stopping the real Ganon. But if Link's old sword could deflect the fake Agahnim's magic, then it could also pierce through this fake King of Evil. The nightmare swung its staff in the air, causing a swirl of wind and flames above. Throwing caution to the wind, Link rushed the shadow, and plunged his sword directly into the monster's chest.

A wail echoed in the chamber, and the shadow of Ganon turned into a thin, black mist. Much of it dissipated into the air, but some reformed to become a large eyeball floating in front of Link. It was identical to the monster he faced in Kanalet Castle.

"If you wake the Wind Fish, the island will disappear." The eyeball pleaded.

"Even if it does, you don't belong here!" Link yelled, pointing his sword at the monster.

"I am Dethl. Outsider, you will die here!"

Dethl lurched forward, countless extensions in the form of dark tentacles spreading out from the eyeball and reaching down to ensnare Link. The young man did not move, and let himself be grabbed. The tentacles brought Link up to the eyeball, which was fast becoming a massive mouth. With all his might, Link hurled his sword like a spear, plunging it into the eyeball in time. A piercing screech resounded throughout the chamber, and Link was released from the clutches of Dethl and fell to the ground.

"Our world! Our world is going to disappear!" Dethl cried out, losing cohesion as it did.

"It was never your world." Link stated triumphantly.

Dethl vanished, leaving behind the sword that defeated it on the ground. Link walked over to the blade, but stopped himself from picking it up. There wouldn't be a need for the sword anymore.

"COME FORWARD." A great voice boomed through the chamber.

Link turned around, finding a staircase leading up out of the place. He followed it up as high as it went. Among the stars of the night sky, Link saw it for the first time. The Wind Fish, larger than any creature he'd ever seen before. Decorated in all manner of rich silks and fine jewels, the winged fish looked down on the tiny Hylian.

"I AM THE WIND FISH. LONG HAS BEEN MY SLUMBER. IN MY DREAMS, AN EGG APPEARED. SURROUNDED BY AN ISLAND, PEOPLE AND ANIMALS CAME TO BE. AN ENTIRE WORLD BUILT BY MYSELF AND THE NIGHTMARE DETHL. BUT VERILY, IT BE THE NATURE OF DREAMS TO END. WHEN I DOST AWAKEN, KOHOLINT WILL BE GONE."

"No!" Link called out. "I don't want it to disappear!"

The massive fish looked upon Link. "ONLY THE MEMORY OF THIS DREAM LAND CAN EXIST IN THE WAKING WORLD."

"What if I want it to be real? Can I wish for it?"

The Wind Fish let out a cry that echoed in the cosmos around them.

"If Dethl could turn someone into a dream, you can turn the whole island into a real place! Please!" Link begged.

"WHAT YOU SEEK IS IMPOSSIBLE. A DREAM CANNOT BE MADE REAL. TO REMAIN ON KOHOLINT ISLAND IS TO GIVE UP YOUR PLACE IN THE WAKING WORLD."

"If that's what it takes, I'll do it!" He yelled.

"THERE IS NO TURNING BACK, HERO. IS THIS TRULY WHAT YOU WISH?"

Memories of Marin raced through Link's mind. He took the ocarina out of his pocket and held it close to his heart.

"Yes."

* * *

The Ballad of the Wind Fish.

That was all Link could remember as he tossed and turned. Memories of a great battle against a fearsome nightmare were vivid in his mind for only a moment, before they vanished as he returned to the waking world. To his right, he could see the sun shining through a window down at him.

He rose from the bed, unsure where he was. His vision blurred, all he could focus on what retrieving the memory of that dream. Did the nightmare have a name? Was it even a nightmare? His pockets were empty, and his sword and shield missing. They were no where to be seen, either.

As his vision returned, he made for the door of the small house he was in. With a turn of the knob, he let himself out. A clear blue sky waited for him beyond, with pure white clouds dotting the vista. And below them, a great blue ocean.

But before all that was a person. Her red hair was flowing in the warm summer breeze. She turned around, and Link saw her face again. In her hair was a hibiscus flower, a gift he'd made to her. That much he remembered.

"What a relief! I thought you'd never wake up!" She called out to him, a smile on her face.

Link searched his memories for a name. Once it was in his head, he opened his mouth to call back.

"Marin?"

The girl with red hair giggled. She ran over to Link and threw her arms around him. Their faces close, she closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her lips to his. Having stolen a kiss from the young man, she pulled away and looked him in the eye. With a sly wink, she asked him a question:

"Are you ready for a new adventure?"


End file.
